FAISALABAD: The Customs Intelligence and Investigation seized miscellaneous goods and non-duty paid vehicles worth Rs 47,192,530 during the first four months (July-October) of fiscal year 2015-16 involving customs duty and taxes to the tune of Rs 18,110,903.
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today Deputy Director Muhammad Riaz Hussain said that after taking the charge of his assignment, his department started massive crackdown against smuggled goods and non-duty paid vehicles.
He said that Customs Intelligence and Investigation Faisalabad conducted various raids to foil smuggling attempts in the region. However, 19 cases of smuggling were registered worth Rs. 47,192,530 against suspects during the above said period. He said that Customs Intelligence seized huge quantity of smuggled goods which includes Toyota Land Cruiser, computer system, computer printer, LCD monitors, laptops etc, and foreign origin LED different size, Indian red chillies seeds, old and used machinery, dry fruit and used tyres, foreign origin cloths, LTV and HTV tyres along with other smuggled goods.
Deputy director said that during the months of September and October Anti Smuggling Organization showed excellent performance and impounded various non duty paid vehicles which includes Toyota Land Cruiser, Prado worth Rs 3,500,000 involving custom duty and taxes to the tune of Rs 4,000,000. The owner of these vehicles who was later identified as Sarfraz Muhammad failed to produce any relevant documents regarding possession of the vehicle. He said that Collectorate of Customs also seized computer systems i.e. printers, laptop worth Rs 7,500,000 which involved custom duty and taxes to the tune of Rs 831,000 from a suspect Shafqat Ali.
He said that ASO authorities also successfully recovered 47 LEDs from Rana Electronics which is located at Sargodha Road worth Rs 940,000 involving duty and taxes to the tune of Rs 584,093.
Deputy director said that customs teams also recovered 101 used tyres amounting to Rs 2,40,000 involving customs duty and taxes to the tune of Rs 1,40,000 from Muhammad Shoaib and Indian red chillies seeds (100- bags) worth Rs 700,000 involved customs duty Rs 400,000 smuggled by Muhammad Usman while old and used machinery worth Rs 5,397,600 involving duty and taxes amounting to Rs 1,222,688 were also recovered during the above said period .
Deputy Director Riaz Hussain said that Customs Intelligence authorities registered eight seizure cases in September and October. All these items were brought into country without payments of customs duty and taxes.
The customs team made these confiscations under Import and Export Control Act, 1969, after the owners failed to produce any documents showing the legal import of the items.
The customs teams who took part in different operations includes Superintendent Muhammad Saifullah, Senior Intelligence Officer Muhammad Tahir Iqbal, Intelligence Officers Muhammad Saleem, Naseer Ahmed, Mansoor Nasir, Bashir Hussain and sepoys Muhammad Tariq, Haider Ali, Muhammad Iqbal, Muzammil Hussain, Muhammad Rafiq However, seizure reports have already been submitted to adjudication department for further legal action.
Deputy Director Riaz Hussain said that after taking the charge, newly posted Director General Customs Intelligence and Investigations Shaukat Ali directed all relevant field offices not to spare anyone who found involved in smuggling.
He said that we should focus on decision making and problems resolving. He said that government should provide latest technology to customs department to curb smuggling because usage of latest technology will help a lot to curb smuggling while on the other hand smugglers are also using different strategies for smuggling.
In answer to a question Deputy Director Riaz Hussain said that he always advised his staff members to work honestly and devotedly as this is key to achieve better results.
It is necessary to mention here that Deputy Director Riaz Hussain has made all transfers and postings purely on merit basis to carry out anti-smuggling campaign in the region without any influence.
He said that that anti smuggling campaign will continue with the same zeal and hectic efforts are being made to unearth the dumping places of smuggled goods. He said that Customs Intelligence and Investigation is using all available resources to curb smuggling in the region and if they equipped with latest technology they will definitely show better results as compared to other collectorates of the country he concluded as saying.
