Customs seizes smuggled goods

KARACHI: The Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Karachi seized smuggled goods worth over Rs1.4 billion and arrested 50 persons during the first nine months of the current fiscal, official sources said on Friday.
In its ongoing anti-smuggling drive, Customs seizure registered growth of 294 percent compared to Rs360 million in the same period last fiscal. The sources said that the cases of arrested persons were sent to the court of Special Judge (Customs).
The smuggled goods seized during July–March 2014/2015 include around 10 tons of hashish; 24,000 bottles of foreign whisky; 440,000 litres of Diesel; large quantity of foreign cigarettes of various brands; injurious gutka; tyres; tiles; and electronic items.
Customs Intelligence Director Muhammad Asif Marghoob Siddiqui lauded the efforts of officials.
They detected duty and tax evasion worth more than Rs3 billion at Karachi Port and Port Bin Qasim. The evasions were recorded in imports of telecommunication equipments, yarn, fabric and other items.
An amount of Rs90 million of evasion was detected during the same period last financial year, showing an improvement of 243 percent.
The Rs280 million collected under the head of auction and on the spot recovery were deposited into the treasury, which is 255 percent more than the amount of Rs78 million collected during 2013-14.
Siddiqui further resolved that Customs Intelligence would continue its operation against smuggling and evasion of duty and taxes using the available resources at its disposal.