QUETTA: Collectorate of Customs Quetta has expedited its crackdown on the illegal export of sugar and seized 20 trucks loaded with the fine quality sugar near the KPK and Baluchistan border. The market value of seized sugar is Rs700 million.
Sources told that the Field Enforcement Unit Manikhawa intercepted a convoy of 15 trucks and found 8,206 parcels of sugar hidden inside them. The customs officials also seized the vehicles involved in the smuggling. On the instructions of Chief Collector Abduyl Qadir Memon, Collector Quetta Irfan ur Rehman and Additional Collector Umar Shafique formed a team comprising Inspectors Bahsir Tabassum, Haris Bashir, Nadeem Tahir and sepoys conducted the operations.
A case has been registered and further investigations are still underway till the filing of this report,
According to customs sources, this was not an isolated incident. In July and August, Customs Baluchistan had seized 1,637 tons of sugar worth Rs1.0 billion from smugglers who were trying to take advantage of the high demand and prices of the commodity in international markets.