KARACHI: Collectorate of Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) seized huge quantity of non-duty paid tyres and fabric during anti-smuggling drive.
According to sources after assuming the charge Member Customs Operations Tariq Huda directed all field formations to expedite efforts to curb smuggling attempts. After these directions Chief Collector Saifuddin Junejo directed Collector Preventive Saquif Saeed to enhance vigilance and patrolling to thwart any attempt of smuggling.
Sources told that Collector Customs Preventive Saquif Saeed received credible information that huge quantity of smuggled tyres are dumped in a godown located at Old Sabzi Mandi. He immediately formed an anti-smuggling squad. The squad raided the warehouses and recovered huge quantity of smuggled tyres. As much as 10-container load of goods were brought to Customs warehouse.
Sources told that during another raid Customs Preventive ASO raided Akber Godown situated at SITE-A Shershah and confiscated huge quantity of smuggled cloth fabric worth Rs22.6 million; net cloth worth Rs0.5 million; curtain rings worth Rs0.34 million; curtain laces worth Rs0.45 million.
Customs Preventive anti-smuggling squad also raided a Godown at City Railway Station and seized “Made in India” and “Via Karachi in transit to Afghanistan” marked smuggled items which were being transported from Lahore to Karachi by Railway Cargo bogie. The seized goods include hair oil (vatika, parachute, Himalaya, Dabur amla, Emami); hair spray, body spray, chocolate spread and other goods worth Rs7.7 million.
A separate ground breaking operation at Mayfair centre sadder Karachi against illicit shesha / hokah and seized huge amount of foreign brands shesha flasks , electronic hokah , mixed brand shesha tobacco of different flavours, aluminum foil papers worth Rs35.3 million.
FIRs have been lodged and further investigations are underway till the filing of this report.