MULTAN: The Customs Collectorate of Preventive has foiled a smuggling attempt by seizing non-duty paid foreign origin cigarettes under the garb of Afghan Transit Trade from Dera Ghazi Khan.
Sources told Customs Today that Deputy Collector Maqbool Ahmad Balouch received credible information that huge quantity of foreign origin smuggled goods would be transported through Quetta to Lahore on container truck via Dera Ghazi Khan Region.
Anti-Smuggling Organization has formed the special team to thwart them after mounting concrete information about smuggling goods in which Inspector Muhammad Asif Sindhu participated in the action along with other staff.
Customs Preventive team took special measures by enhancing patrolling in the Dera Ghazi Khan region by tightening monitoring of the movement of goods to intercept smuggled goods. Anti-Smuggling Squad has intercepted the suspected ten wheeler truck bearing registration number of TKX-257 which was loaded with different imported goods including foreign origin cigarettes
Customs Preventive staff recovered huge quantity of foreign origin cigarettes including different brands of 235 cartons containing 200 cartons of Benson and Hedges and 35 cartons of Dunhill lights during examination. Customs teams recovered almost 11750 cigarettes which were smuggled under the garb of Afghan Transit Trade goods and they were trying to smuggle said cigarettes in the South Punjab
Customs staff asked the drivers of the trucks to produce legal documents of recovered cigarettes and cigar but they failed to produce any import documents to justify their legal possession. Customs Preventive teams seized recovered Cigarettes along with vehicle by framing a seizure report under Customs act 1969.The value of seized Cigarettes were almost Rs.3.5 million and duty taxes of Rs.3 million. The value of vehicle was almost Rs.8 million. Further Investigation was still under process.
