MULTAN: Customs Intelligence and Investigation Director General Imtiaz Ahmad has inaugurated new office of Customs Intelligence in Sadiqabad in order keep a vigilant eye on smuggling of goods and vehicles.
On the inauguration, DG Imtiaz Ahmad directed the Customs Intelligence teams to increase the vigilance in the region in order to curb smuggling, which is causing huge losses to the national exchequer. He also said that routes used by smugglers should be monitored strictly.
The DG told Customs Today that more checks posts will be established in the jurisdiction to deal with smugglers keeping in view their needs, adding that the Customs Intelligence will hold further check posts in the area of Sakhi Sarwar,Taunsa and Kashmore.
Cooperation between the Customs Intelligence and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) proved a mile stone against the menace, as a decline has been observed in the smuggling trends, he informed.
Furthermore, DG Imtiaz Ahmad directed Deputy Director Naveed ur Rehman Bughvi to chalk out a plan to realise the dream of smuggling-free Pakistan, besides urging the officials to mark high-level performance during the running fiscal year.
Officials said that the newly built office will further strengthen anti-smuggling activities, as Sadiqabad region is considered an important route utilised by smugglers
It may be mentioned here that the Customs Intelligence detected 90 cases involving Rs 90.2 million during outgoing fiscal year 2015-16 in Sadiqabad region.
It is also pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tobacco Company provided financial assistant of around Rs 3.5 million to build office in Sadiqabad region in order to curtail smuggling of cigarettes and save local industry.