FAISALABAD: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation team seized huge quantity of non-duty paid California shelled almonds, cashew nuts worth Rs 4.2 million involving duty and taxes worth Rs2.2 million near motorway interchange.
Sources told Customs Today that Director Customs Intelligence and Investigations Rubab Sikandar received credible information about some smuggling attempts. She immediately constituted an anti- smuggling squad under the supervision of Deputy Director Rana Irfan Shouqat which also comprised Naseeb Mehmood Cheema, Intelligence Muhammad Nasrullah. They established a check post near motorway interchange Sargodha road Faisalabad and started checking of vehicles.
The team intercepted a vehicle bearing registration no: LEI 16-7055 and recovered 1452 kilograms California shelled almonds and cashew kernels nuts 400 kilograms. The anti-smuggling squad asked the driver of the vehicle to produce legal documents regarding possession and transportation of dry fruit but he failed to produce any legal documents.
Customs team after registering a case deposited the seized dry fruit in state warehouse. Further investigations are still in progress.
It is necessary to mention here that after taking the charge as deputy director Customs Intelligence and Investigation Rana Irfan Shouqat directed all anti-smuggling squads which are performing their duties in fields to adopt the zero-tolerance policy towards smuggling.
Sources told that Customs Intelligence and Investigation authorities already adopted a comprehensive strategy to curb smuggling in the region due to same effective policy and there is a marginal decrease being witnessed in the smuggling attempts, the sources concluded.
