HYDERABAD: Directorate of Customs Intelligence & Investigation reported 112pc growth over the corresponding period of last year during the month of February 2020. Goods worth Rs69.871 million with duty and taxes amounting to Rs194.86 million have been seized.
The Directorate of Customs I&I Sukkur Range Office reported an increase of 111 per cent with goods worth Rs55.296 million and duty & taxes amounting to Rs173.574 million. The seized goods included smuggled cigarettes, betel nuts, cumin seeds, cashews and different brands of Indian gutkha.
Talking with Customs Today Director Customs I&I Dr Sadiqullah Khan has said that in the third quarter, the Directorate has made seizures worth Rs141.314 million in the month of January and February which is 105 percent of the total assigned target of Rs135 million for the quarter.
In a joint operation with Sindh Rangers poppy seeds and betel nuts were apprehended and one person was arrested. The Directorate focused on major cases instead of minor cases of contraba nd goods.
Director Dr Sadiqullah Khan appreciated the efforts of the team headed by Additional Director Syed Naeem Akhtar, Deputy Director Syed Muhammad Raza Naqvi, Superintendents Qasim Ali Alvi, Nighat Jabeen and Intelligence Officers Syed Shafiq Ali, Zulfiqar Ali Jamali and Irfan Ghani. Further efforts are underway.
During the first three quarters of the current financial year 2019-20, the Regional Directorate has made out 132 seizures amounting to Rs523.065 million including duty & taxes which are higher by 55 percent over the corresponding period of last year as value.
Made remarkable seizures betel nuts, cigarettes, dry fruits, spices, cloth, Indian gutkha, tyres, HSD, chinese salt, NCP vehicles and 18 conveyance vehicles were also seized under Section 157(2) where included Narcotics 140.2 kilogram, arrested three persons.
However, during the current month of March the Regional Directorate has detained different consignments of contraband goods i.e. cloth, tiles, cigarettes, cutch, tyres etc worth Rs60 million and above (approx).
For the first quarter of the current month the Directorate seized worth Rs42.928 million (approx) which constitute NCP vehicles, cloth, tiles, tyres, betel nuts, black tea, Chinese salt, Indian gutkha, conveyance vehicle and other miscellaneous goods.
Moreover, the Regional Directorate has conducted 7 auctions and generated revenue Rs.109.65 Million which is higher by 109% over the corresponding period of last year. Further added here is that the Directorate has also collected revenue Rs12 million through duty & taxes.
In collaboration with other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), the Directorate made 16 cases of contraband goods and NCP vehicles. The Directorate has vast jurisdiction of entire province of Sindh excluding the civil division Karachi. There are multiple routes of smuggling.
The Directorate with limited manpower and logistics has made out large number of cases besides effective prevention on smuggling routes. Organised smuggling has effectively been targetted. In ongoing efforts, the Directorate has performed Intelligence Based Operation (IBOs). Major cases are being made out during the current quarter.
