KARACHI: The Deputy Collector Customs Preventive Headquarters Ali Raza Sipra has said that the Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) of Customs-Preventive has seized million of rupees smuggled goods including heroin, fabric, diesel/petrol and other miscellaneous items during the last six months from September-2016 to February-2017.
The Deputy Collector was expressed these views during an interview with Customs Today at his office. Ali Raza Sipra said that the main objective of ASO-Preventive is to increase the legal revenue and the entire organization is doing its best to curb the smuggling of contraband items.
The deputy collector further said that the Customs Preventive is trying to eliminate the smuggling of Iranian diesel and petrol into the country and the Chief Collector-Enforcement (South) and collector-Preventive are very much determined in order to uproot the menace of smuggling from the borders routes of the city, adding that the Pakistan Customs has evolved an effective strategy in this regard.
Elaborating the strategy against the smugglers, the Deputy Collector-HQ Ali Raza Sipra said that the customs authorities are keeping strict vigilance on the movement of smuggled goods from port and airport as well as from the land routes.
The deputy Collector further said that the Customs Preventive has already requested the Federal Board of Revenue-FBR to increase the fleet of ASO in sea routes especially, so that more effective operations would be conducted against the smugglers in deep sea.
Replying to a query, the Deputy Collector Sipra admitted that the sea operation of ASO is little bid weak as compared to the land operation of Customs, as the Pakistan Customs is facing shortage of resources in sea operations.
Responding to another query, Ali Raza Sipra further disclosed that the Pakistan Customs has close co-ordination with other border agencies including Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) and Pakistan Rangers and also conducting joint raids against the smugglers in sea particularly.
Replying to another query, the Deputy Collector further hinted that the ASO Customs Preventive is also planning to conduct a giant operation against the smugglers of Iranian diesel/petrol and also will burst all illegal petrol pumps which are being involved in purchasing and selling of Irani petrol.
The deputy collector further said that the ASO has equally conducted operations at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) against the smugglers and seized contraband items from the possessions of smugglers.
Replying to another query, the Deputy Collector-Preventive Ali Raza Sipra said that the ASO and Drug Enforcement Cell (DEC) have seized millions of worth smuggled items including mobile phones, laptops, batteries, gold and other equipments.
The deputy collector said that the entire team of ASO and DEC has got full support of its high-ups including Chief Collector-Enforcement (South) Muhammad Zahid Khokhar and Collector-Preventive Dr Saifuddin Junejo in uprooting the network of smugglers from the South Region.
