MULTAN: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation has seized huge quantity of smuggled foreign black tea worth Rs10 million from Dera Ghazi Khan.
Sources told Customs Today that Deputy Collector Khial Muhammad Khan received information from its credible source that huge quantity of non-customs paid black tea will be smuggled through jurisdiction. Deputy Director Khial alerted its staff and formed special team comprised of Inspector Qaswar Shah, Inspector Muhammad Umer, Inspector Zulfiqar and Shakilur Rehman to foil any attempt of smuggling. Customs Intelligence teams enhanced patrolling of different routes of Dera Ghazi Khan to intercept them by deputing staff at entrance of different points for strict vigilance.
Field Investigation Unit (FIU) Dera Ghazi Khan intercepted a suspected truck fully loaded with foreign origin black tea which were packed in 110 different sacks near Dera Ghazi Khan. Customs Intelligence recovered 7400 kilogram black tea which was smuggled through Pak-Iran border.
Customs Intelligence staff asked the driver to produce documents regarding legal import of the recovered goods. But driver of the truck failed to produce any legal documents to justify its legal possession of groundnuts regarding the transportation of the recovered groundnuts. Driver told Customs staff that he has booked black tea from Pak-Iran border.
Customs Intelligence staff seized black tea along with truck worth Rs10 million and duty taxes of Rs 6 million. Customs seized black tea under Section 18, 32 of the Customs Act-1969 read with Section 3(1) (3) of the Import and Export Control Act-1969. Further investigations are still underway.
