ISLAMABAD: The Directorate of Customs Investigation and Intelligence has seized 130,000 litres of smuggled high speed diesel worth Rs 4.5 million, besides arresting 10 suspects.
According to the details, the Pakistan Customs with other law enforcement agencies participated in field operation 40 kilometer away from the border of Balochistan and held five oil tankers loaded with smuggled diesel worth Rs 4.5 million involving duty and taxes of Rs 4.825 million.
Authorities have established that foreign origin diesel was brought into the country through un-authorized route and without payment of duty and taxes leviable thereon. In absence of lawful documents it was proved that loaded oil was smuggled one. FIR has been lodged against accused including Abdul Sattar Brohi, Jameel Ahmed resident of Sohrab, Haji Majeed resident of Noshki, Fazal Muhammad resident of Tehsil Sohrab District Qalat, Bashir Ahmed resident of Tehsil Sohrab District Qalat, Muhammad Ishaque resident of Tehsil Sohrab District Qalat, Muhammad Anwar resident of Tehsil Sohrab District Qalat and others.
It is important to mention here that the sale of smuggled Iranian diesel and petrol is causing huge revenue losses to the national exchequer of about Rs 40-50 million per day in Sindh alone, besides compromising safety of human life and vehicles.
Sale of smuggled Iranian petrol and diesel is going on for a few years now and the number of such illegal outlets has increased sharply in many cities of Sindh and Balochistan provinces including Karachi and Quetta. A difference of Rs 7 to Rs 8 per litre in Iranian petrol and diesel in Karachi as compared to products of oil marketing companies (OMC) is luring public and private vehicle owners.
