Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: Customs officials on Sunday said that they have conducted several intelligence-based operations and seized Rs,252 million worth of contraband and non-custom paid vehicles in the past two weeks.
Deputy Director Customs Intelligence Peshawar Amanat Khan told FataVoice News that they have launched a missive anti-smuggling drive in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On the directions of Director General Customs Intelligence(DGCI), he said they had thwarted major smuggling attempts in the past two weeks.
He said the anti-smuggling drive was launched on the directions of Director General Customs Intelligence Faiz Ahmed tightened customs vigilance and expanded the intelligence network to border areas.
Amanat said additional director, Shafqat Khan Niazi, deputy director, Omer Bin Zaffar Chatta, deputy director Ahmad Rizwan and intelligence officer Asifullah Khan led the different raiding teams.
The official said that they have also seized 126.6 million rupees of contraband and other non-custom paid items at the Torkham border in the past two months.
Amanat Khan said the customs intelligence department has seized 16 non-duty paid vehicles from various places in Peshawar. He said they also seized 753,200 boxes of smuggled cigarettes, 23,100 kg of foreign-made fabric, 11,950kg of betel nuts, 112,730kg of iron/ steel pipes and 557 smuggled cell phones. The official said that the total value of the seized goods in open markets is Rs,252 million.
He said they have issued strict directives to all customs checking points to keep a close eye on smugglers to curb all kinds of smuggling from and to Afghanistan.
The official said the customs intelligence Peshawar committed to continuing efforts to curb smuggling in ways and means and stabilise the fragile economy of Pakistan.
