SAHIWAL: Inland Revenue Enforcement has seized huge quantity of 1.04 million sticks of non-duty paid cigarettes in Sahiwal.
The IR Enforcement has intensified its efforts against smuggling after creating a new tobacco squad at Regional Tax Office Sahiwal. The squad, on a tipoff, that one Muhammad Abbas, a cigarette stockist, was involved in sale of non-duty paid cigarettes, obtained search warrant from the Magistrate and with the local police reached his business premises at Shalimar Town Main Street Harappa Station, Sahiwal. The stock of counterfeited/non-duty paid cigarettes was examined in his presence which resulted in the recovery of 1,040,000 cigarettes including duties and taxes of Rs 1,190,904.
On demand, Muhammad Abbas could not produce any invoice/relevant documents showing lawful possession of counterfeit/non duty paid cigarettes. Thus, he has contravened the provisions of sections 3,4 read with sections 6,8,10,12,14,14A, 17,18,29,62 to 67 of the Federal Excise Rules, 2005 and Section 3,6,7,8, 8A, 22,23,26, 2(20), 2(25), 2(33), 2(35), 2(37), 2(39), 2(40) & 2(41) of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 read with Sales Tax Rules, 2006.
Accordingly, the aforesaid counterfeited/non-duty paid cigarettes liable to confiscation are seized under Section 26(1) of the Federal Excise Act 2005 for further necessary action under the relevant provisions of law.
