ISLAMABAD: The Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Rawalpindi is working on the policy of zero tolerance against smuggling and illegal trade so an encouraging atmosphere could be developed for legal businesses in country.
Rawalpindi Customs Intelligence Additional Director Muhammad Saleem highlighted this in an interview with Customs Today. He said that the intelligence operations and performance of the department is improved with the appointment of new Director General Imtiaz Ahmad Khan, as he was making effective strategies to eliminate the menace of smuggling. The DG is also focusing on enhancing coordination with the law enforcement agencies.
The customs intelligence was playing an effective role against money-laundering and other white-collar crimes through which terrorists are assisted financially, he said. Saleem further added that corrupt officials within the department will not be tolerated in any way.
Talking about the performance of the Rawalpindi intelligence, he said that despite facing the shortage of human resources and other problems, it is improving with every passing year.
The Rawalpindi directorate was established in 2014 as earlier it was the part of Islamabad region. Now, Jehlum to Attock, Hazara and Gilgit-Baltistan falls under the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi, he said. When it was established, it had short staff but it showed 91 percent growth in wake of seizing goods and 72 percent growth in wake of duty/taxes collection during the fiscal year 2014-15 over the previous year 2013-14.
During 2013-14, it seized goods worth Rs 171 million and collected Rs 89 million in wake of duty/taxes, while it confiscated items worth Rs 327 million and collected Rs 153 million as taxes during the year 2014-15.
During first six months (July-December) of current fiscal year 2015-16, the Rawalpindi Customs Intelligence seized smuggled goods worth Rs 86 million and generated Rs 44 million under the head of duty/taxes, besides registering 35 cases.
The performance of the directorate against smuggling was reviewed monthly, besides developing strategies overtime to curb the menace of smuggling in the region, he said.
Following the directions of FBR, heavy operations were being conducted in all areas and resultantly huge quantity of smuggled cigarettes, generators, electronics, cloth and other items have been seized, the additional director said.
He further said that law enforcement agencies were providing full support to Customs Intelligence to curb the smuggling, adding that especially the local police and Motorway Police had coordinated in various anti-smuggling operations.
All officials are performing their duties with honesty that is the asset of department. Under the supervision of Director Muhammad Amir, the Customs Intelligence was moving on successfully against the miscreants.
