Directorate of Investigation and Intelligence, Customs Anti-Smuggling recovers Rs 8.764b after assuming charge by Director Asif
KARACHI: The Directorate of Investigation and Intelligence, Customs Anti-Smuggling after bifurcation has detected 38 cases of smuggling involving Rs 858 million during first two months (July-August) of running fiscal year 2015-16.
In an exclusive interview with the Customs Today, Director Asif Marghoob Siddiqui said that earlier the directorate, before the bifurcation, had to oversee all the issues pertaining to anti-smuggling, consignments’ clearance at ports and revenue realization.
However, now the directorate has been bifurcated into two parts and the Directorate of Investigation and Intelligence-Customs Anti Smuggling has a separate domain, while the name of other part is Directorate of Investigation and Intelligence, Customs Enforcement.
During March 2014-June 2015, the directorate of Karachi region under the directorship of Director Asif contributed a major chunk of funds to the tune of Rs 7.906 billion to the national kitty.
It detected various cases of smuggling involving Rs 2.207 billion during the said period, Asif said, adding that the smuggled goods seized include foreign liquor, diesel, narcotics, electronic goods, black tea, cigarettes, plastic and other stuff, Asif Marghoob said.
While, the seizure of smuggled goods as compared to the same period last year i.e. March 2013 to June 2014 stood at Rs 1.038 billion, he said.
The director said that the Customs Intelligence had detected tax evasion of Rs 5.019 billion in the clearance of consignments at Karachi Port Trust, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim and Hyderabad Dry Port.
“The major tax evasion cases were detected by intelligence of telecom sector including Mobilink, Zong, Pakistan Telecommunication Limited, Warid etc,” he states.
Moreover, the total tax evasion detection in the same period of past year stood at Rs 2.897 billion, he said, adding that Rs 680 million were contributed to the national kitty under heads of revenue realization in terms of auction of seized goods, on the spot recovery etc. Interestingly, the contribution remained at Rs 280 million in the same period of last year, Marghoob further added.
It is important to mention here that Director Asif Margoob assumed charge as director in March 2014 and, his department has recovered Rs 8.764 billion since then to today.
