FBR orders action against tobacco smugglers

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Muhammad Javed Ghani has urged Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation-Inland Revenue to speed up the enforcement measures to combat the trade of counterfeit and non duty paid cigarettes.

The demand has been made in pursuit of the prime minister’s vision to curb the menace of trade of counterfeit and illicit tobacco, which was not only hazardous to public health, but also causing huge loss to the national exchequer, a statement said on Thursday.

Director General of Intelligence and Investigation-Inland Revenue, Bashir Ullah Khan Marwat, issued stringent directives to expedite the enforcement measures against the trade of counterfeit cigarettes.

Following these directives, Islamabad’s team confiscated 3,000,000 sticks of three local brands worth Rs20 million from a vehicle, and initiated proceedings to recover FED amounting to Rs4.95 million and sales tax of Rs1.678, which were not deposited in the exchequer against supplies of aforesaid cigarettes.

The DG appreciated the efforts of

Director Islamabad, Zafar Iqbal Khan and his team members Additional Director Riaz Muhammad, and Deputy Director Suhail Abbas.

The campaign against illicit tobacco trade has been given top priority and all the Directorates of Intelligence and investigation-Inland Revenue were simultaneously conducting raids with seizure.