HYDERABAD: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) in a joint operation with Sindh Rangers foiled a bid to smuggle huge quantity of contraband goods worth millions of rupees.
Sources told that Director Customs I&I Sadiqullah Khan received credible information that huge quantity of contraband goods would be smuggled from Quetta to Lahore under the garb of mixed iron & steel scrap. Accordingly Additional Director Syed Naeem Akhtar constituted an anti-smuggling squad under the supervision of Deputy Director Raza Naqvi, which with the assistance of 82 Wing Field Intelligence Unit, Shahbaz Rangers, Kashmore conducted an Intelligence based operation (IBO) and intercepted three trucks. The said trucks were loaded with smuggled betel nuts, tyres, cigarettes, automotive engines, bicycle and motorcycle chains, Mazda truck cabin, mixed scrap and other miscellaneous goods worth approximately Rs 34.322 million. The above mentioned goods along with three 10-wheeler trucks were brought to Range Office, Sukkur.
In a separate case, the ASO wing of the Directorate in pursuance of credible information seized 15,000 litres of Iranian Diesel (HSD) along with an oil tanker amounting approx. Rs 6.95 million. The Director appreciated the swift action of ASO team who seamlessly executed the operation in coordination with Sindh Rangers and reiterated his resolve to continue such intelligence based operations periodically. Effective measures against organized smuggling of contraband goods and non-customs paid (NCP) vehicles on the directives by the Director Customs Intelligence & Investigation Hyderabad Sadiqullah Khan has resulted into recovery of huge quantity of smuggled goods during first quarter of financial year 2019-20 (Jul-Sep 2019).
The Directorate has recorded 50 seizures worth Rs 167 million in the first quarter of current financial year as against 43 seizures worth Rs112 million in the corresponding period last year, showing an increase of 50% in terms of value. The Directorate seized 25 NCP vehicles worth Rs 50 million; 99130 kgs of banned betel nuts worth Rs 45 million, 8 vehicles worth Rs 42 million and other miscellaneous goods worth Rs 30 million. There is significant improvement in the number and value of seizures this year as compared to the corresponding period last year.
Moreover, during the current month of October 2019, this Directorate has already made 5 seizures worth Rs 19.364 million. In a recent joint operation with MCC Hyderabad, four NCP vehicles were detained for further verification. The ASO wing of the Directorate has vigorously enhanced the monitoring of suspected routes to intercept smuggled goods. The Directorate has also re-strategized the use of information sharing of information coordination with other agencies on the movement of smuggled merchandise and NCP vehicles.
These special measures have resulted in some remarkable seizure made during current financial year and also created a deterrence on the people involved in smuggling of different kinds of high value goods which is quite evident from the recent performance of ASO wing. In addition, the Directorate has collected revenue amounting to Rs 50.863 million through public auctions of confiscated goods/vehicles during current financial year, 50% increase.
