ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs has intensified crackdown to curb the menace of smuggling as essential commodities worth Rs2.25 billion were seized in past two weeks.
Essential commodities such as sugar and urea are smuggled from Pakistan while petroleum products OL are smuggled into Pakistan via different routes in the bordering areas of Afghanistan and Iran.
These smuggled items are later transported in trucks and in passenger vehicles to the main cities in smaller quantities.
Pakistan Customs has intensified its efforts to stop smuggling and started crackdown against smugglers.
Customs sized large quantities of expensive commodities
During the past two weeks the department has seized large quantities of expensive commodities worth Rs. 2.25 Billion in various raids across the country including D.I. Khan, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Quetta and Sargodha regions.
The commodities taken into custody included betel nuts, black tea, iron, Pak currency, POL, sugar, steel, tyres, urea and vehicles.
On September 2nd, Customs Enforcement-Quetta seized 1,637 tons of sugar worth approximately Rs. 1.0 billion from a convoy of 15 trucks. Later smuggled goods and vehicles, worth Rs. 519 million were taken into custody by the custom authorities in in Daraban-Darazinda Road, Dera Ismail Khan.
On 3rd Sept 218,000 liters of smuggled POL / diesel, worth Rs. 137.6 Million was seized by Customs Enforcement-D.I. Khan.
During last week, Customs Enforcement – Karachi seized 115,000 litres of Iranian diesel and 30,000 liters of petrol.
