LAHORE: Collectorate of Customs Preventive has taken a number of strong measures, including joint operations strategy, set up of drug cell and training of the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) staff to discourage smuggling and protect legal businesses.
These views were expressed by Additional Collector of Customs Preventive Amir Rasheed while talking to Customs Today. He said that the performance of the ASO has improved significantly during this financial year as compared to the outgoing financial year 2014-14.
Rasheed informed that ASO has registered cases of contraband and non-customs paid items valuing Rs 335.32 million during July to May 2015-16 while cases of Rs292 million were registered during the same period FY 2014-15.
Overall Rs43 million additional non customs paid goods, articles and vehicles were seized during the period under review, he said, adding that alone in May 2016 an additional Rs 4.19 million goods and articles were seized as compared to the last financial year.
The additional collector highlighted that ASO staff has on the directives of Chief Collector of Customs Samaira Nazir and Collector of Customs Zulfiqar Younas have further been instructed to put their all-out efforts in fighting against the criminal elements involved in smuggling activities.
The ASO staff has also been told to go behind the smugglers and seize their illegal stocks in their godowns even at the market places without any discrimination, he underscored.
Rasheed stated that no doubt in cracking down against the big fish the department has to go through a intense pressure, however, we are determine not to give in our endeavors against the criminal elements.
To a query, he said that ASO staff is competent and have the ability to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently, however, staff who found involved in illicit activities and worked against the interest of the department was dealt with iron hand and in future they will also not be spared.
While talking about joint operation strategy of Collectorate of Preventive and Customs Intelligence and Investigation against the smuggling, Rasheed stated that due to the far reaching impact of the joint operating strategy the department has conducted a number of mega operation against the smugglers and seized huge quantities of non-customs paid items. In order to asses performance of the joint operation strategy periodical review meeting are also held.
He also mentioned set of drug cell at the Customs House that would be responsible to deal with the drug runners, especially across the border with India.
“The cell is established on the quick response force lines that would move from one part of its limits to the other in minimum time span,” he said, adding that central control room as the results of special efforts of collector of customs is also about to be set up which would enable the collectorate to closely monitor the movement ASO scouts and instruct them accordingly.
Consequently Collectorate of Customs Preventive will be able to create deterrence against smuggling activities protecting the legal and genuine business activities, he concluded.
