LAHORE: The Model Customs Collectorate Preventive impounded 30 non-customs paid trucks and also seized imported curtain cloth worth Rs 100 million from a warehouse.
The raid is said to be the biggest ever confiscation in the MCC Lahore’s history.
According to details, the Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO), led by Deputy Collector Shafiqur Rehman and Superintendent Mumtaz Ajmal Mian, raided a truck loaded with foreign curtain, sofa and velvet cloth.
The customs sources said that the truck driver was asked for customs clearance documents, but he failed to produce papers.
In initial investigation, they added, the driver named a warehouse, Super Traders, in Garhi Shahu. The force conducted a successful operation and seized foreign cloth worth Rs 100 million from the warehouse, they added.
The sources said that the total weight of the cloth was around 123 metric tonnes which involved taxes above Rs 55 million.
The sources said that Ali Rehman, who used to smuggle cloth from Peshawar, was the owner of the seized cloth.
However, Rehman claimed that he had the relevant documents.
On the other hand, customs officials said that the documents were fake which led to the confiscation.
The officials told Customs Today that Rehman has been given two days to produce valid documents. They added that the cloth would be seized in state’s favour if Rehman failed to produce the documents.
The collectorate has also brought the seizure in the notice of Federal Board of Revenue Member Customs Nisar Ahmed.
Customs officials, including Khalid Butt, Safdar Bajwa, Irfan Mumtaz, Shahid Bhatti, Arif Meo, Mazhar Butt, Waheed Bhatti were also the part of the raiding team.
