30 non-custom paid vehicles seized

LAHORE:The Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation-Customs, Regional Office, Lahore has performed exceptionally well in February 2023 by demonstrating vehement resilience against the menace of smuggling and evasion of duty & taxes.

Customs Intelligence Lahore has ensured meticulous implementation of tax laws, administrative processes and procedures within the broader contours of guidelines laid down by FBR and national policy.

Key driving force behind extraordinary performance in all respective areas was persistent encouragement and guidance provided by Faiz Ahmad Chadhar, Director General Customs Intelligence. Ms Saima Shehzad, Director Intelligence Lahore, funneled available resources (especially HR) efficiently that resulted in exemplary success story for the Directorate.

Additional Director Ch Rizwan Bashir Kalair personally supervised all the operations. Customs Intelligence Lahore seized 30 non custom paid vehicles in this month, which is record for highest number of vehicles seized in a month. These involved NDP/Tampered cars/jeeps/heavy bikes valuing Rs254 million. The seized vehicles included luxury cars and heavy bikes of different brands.

This has also been the highest value of seizures made against NDP vehicles in any given month. Moreover, the Directorate has also seized various smuggled goods during intelligence based targeted operations. The seized goods included foreign origin liquor, chandeliers, LED lights, cigarettes, betel nuts, tyres, steel wire, Iranian tiles, skimmed milk, serviceable auto parts, fabric etc.

DG Custom I&I lauded the efforts of Ch Rizwan Bashir Kalair (Additional Director), Ali Asad (Deputy Director), Rai Waqar (Superintendent), Sohail Murtaza (IO), Arif Meo (IO), Gulzar Bhatti (IO) Furthermore. The Enforcement arm of the Directorate on the other hand has framed 8 seizures / contraventions involving CIF value and duty/taxes of 85 million and 58 million respectively in the month of Feb reflecting 14pc increase from the corresponding month of the previous year.

The Directorate has auctioned 42 lots involving value of Rs 177 million registering 72pc increase in value. Revenue realized during the month was 20.4 million.

The auction process has been streamlined and expedited. Director General Customs Intelligence Islamabad, Ch Faiz Ahmad Chadhar, lauded the efforts of the Lahore Range team and congratulated supervisory officers Ms Saima Shehzad, Director and Ch Rizwan Bashir Kalair, Additional Director Incharge of operations, on this remarkable achievement.