Islamabad, May 04, 2023 (PPI-OT): Mr. Asim Ahmad, Chairman FBR visited Customs Intelligence Headquarters Islamabad with a view to applaud the anti-smuggling operations resulting into seizure of Essential Commodities, Dry Fruits, Cigarettes, Indian Origin Gutka and Shisha flavour worth Rs. 754 million during the last four days of the current week. These anti-smuggling operations were conducted by the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation- Customs in the province of Baluchistan, Rawalpindi / Islamabad and Karachi.

DIRECTORATE OF I and I-CUSTOMS, GWADAR: In pursuance of the directions of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to launch a crackdown against the smuggling of essential items from Pakistan to the neighbouring countries, a credible information was shared by the Director General Customs Intelligence, Mr Faiz Ahmad Chadhar with Directorate of Customs Intelligence, Gwadar that a huge quantity of Pak Origin Fertilizer Urea and Sugar are dumped at different premises /godowns in and around Khuzdar City, for onwards smuggling from Baluchistan to Afghanistan.

In the wake of the instruction of the Director General, the Director, Customs Intelligence, Gwadar constituted a team to execute the operation for seizure of the essential items from various dumping sites of District Khuzdar. On 29.04.2023 the Customs Intelligence team assisted by Frontier Corps, Kalat Scouts at Khuzdar, Distt administration and Police, searched a Farm House and recovered 26,407 Bags of Fertilizer Urea and 8,209 Bags of Sugar from the premises. In another raid in Khuzdar District recovery of 10,630 Bags of Pak Origin Urea Fertilizer and 3,770 Bags of Sugar was effected. In the third leg of the operation the Joint Team reached the Arbab Complex, a local market, shops of which had been rented for illegal hoarding of the essential items.

Thorough search of each shop resulted in recovery of 22,978 bags of Pak Origin Sugar and 2,646 bags of Urea Fertilizer from 33 different shops. Besides above three operations, two more were conducted by the Customs Intelligence Baluchistan during the past few days in which 2200 bags of urea fertilizer and 10,000 bags of sugar were seized at Gadani and Noshki. Thus, during the ongoing drive against the smuggling of essential commodities, the Customs Intelligence has seized 41,883 bags of Urea fertilizer having market value of Rs. 167.532 million and 44,957 bags of Sugar having market worth of Rs. 224.785 million.

These operations during the last weekend have successfully foiled attempt to smuggle to Afghanistan huge quantities of 86,840 bags of essential commodities with cumulative worth of Rs. 392.317 million which is a severe blow to the smuggling mafia. DIRECTORATE OF I and I-CUSTOMS, RAWALPINDI: On another specific information received through the Director General, Customs Intelligence, Mr. Faiz Ahmad Chadhar, the combined staff of Directorate of Customs Intelligence Rawalpindi and HQ Islamabad conducted a Joint Operation at Moosa Godown located at Sharbat Street, Rata Amraal, Rawalpindi on 02-05-2023 and recovered huge quantity of different smuggled items.

The smuggled goods seized during the operation were shifted to Customs Intelligence Headquarters on twenty (20) Mazdas Trucks and include high value items like smuggled Almonds, Cashew Nuts, Walnuts, Cigarettes, Tea etc. valuing Rs. 300 million. This anti-smuggling operation was executed by Additional Director Customs Intelligence Mr. Shahid Jan and Deputy Director Mr. Salik Mahmood under the direct supervision of Director Customs Intelligence Mr. Irfan Wahid and the Director General Faiz Ahmad Chadhar continuously provided back up support and guidance during whole night as the operation lasted for more than 14 hours. To thwart any untoward law and order situation, an effective liaison was established with senior command of Rawalpindi and Islamabad Police who extended excellent support throughout the operation.

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