LAHORE: Coordinated effort, team work, effective planning and strong measures have enabled the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation Lahore (Customs) to improve anti-smuggling performance to almost more than double during the current financial year as compared to the corresponding period of the last financial year. The endeavor to create deterrence against smuggling activities will further be stepped up.
These views were expressed by Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation Lahore (Customs) Director Saud Imran Ahmad while talking to Customs Today.
The Director informed that he is holding the dual charge of Director Lahore and Director Faisalabad, supervising Lahore and Gujranwala and Faisalabad & Multan station’s Customs I&I establishments.
He said that performance of all the four stations has significantly improved during the financial year 2015-16 as compared to the previous financial years.
He informed that the Lahore and Gujranwala establishments seized 61 non customs paid luxury cars and other goods and articles worth Rs 909.8 million involving duty and taxes worth Rs685.8 million.
“A significant upward percentage change of 74 percent in value of seized vehicles and 161 percent and duty and taxes has taken place during the period under review,” he said.
The Directorate concentrated specially on the illegal import of luxury vehicles and seized 61 vehicles during July to June 10, 2015-16, he said , adding that the directorate confiscated 18 vehicles worth Rs 24.4 million involving Rs 37.16 million duty and taxes during financial year 2014-15.
Briefing on Faisalabad and Multan anti-smuggling establishments of the Directorate, Mr. Saud Imran said that both the stations have also performed outstandingly as compared to the previous financial years.
One forty nine luxury non customs paid vehicles and goods worth Rs 874 million involving duty and taxes worth Rs 576 million were confiscated during the current financial year, he shared adding, that the stations have posted 51 percent growth in value of seized vehicles and goods and 40 percent in duty and taxes as compared to the previous years.
Earlier 65 non customs paid vehicles, goods and articles worth Rs 578 million involving duty and taxes worth Rs 412 were seized during the financial year 2014-15.
He informed that the major seized goods and articles included cloth, tyres, mobile phones, plastic dana, Iranian steel sheets, electronic goods, DVD-R, LCDs, cigarettes Iranian tiles, Steel scraps, generators, tea, mobil oil and other miscellaneous items.
In answer to a question, Saud Imran replied that customs Intelligence and Investigation worked in close coordination with the Collectoratesincluding Lahore, Sialkot and others, however, joint operation have been conducted in Faisalabad he also stated that the Punjab police was also extending its full corporation and support whenever it was approached.
To a query he said that staffs are part and parcel of the Directorate and they are making strenuous efforts to curb the menace of smuggling.
Good and bad people are present everywhere, however, the Directorate has adopted zero tolerance policy without any compromise against the corrupt elements, he stated, adding that operations and crackdowns against the smuggling activities to bring the illegal business to aminimum level will further be intensified.
