ISLAMABAD: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (Headquarters) Deputy Director Khuldunul Haq has said that under the supervision of Director General Imtiaz Ahmad Khan the directorate showed outstanding performance during financial year 2015-16 by seizing smuggled goods and non-duty paid vehicles worth Rs 5.60 billion.
During an exclusive interview with Customs Today, Deputy Director Khuldun Haq said that the seized items, include non-duty paid vehicles, foreign origin cloth, cigarettes, tea, electronics goods, petrol, diesel, auto parts and other different goods. He said that Customs Intelligence has also foiled many attempts to smuggle huge quantity of narcotics also during the period. The value of the seized narcotics in international market is in billion of rupees.
In reply to a question that from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation registered 1492 cases and arrested 72 accused persons who were involved in smuggling of narcotics. He said that customs department is encouraging the staff who showed outstanding performance to foil the bids. He said besides awarding them certificates customs department is also considering to transfer them in better places.
In answer to a question Deputy Director Khuldunul Haq said that market value of seized goods in year 2014-16 is less as compared to seized goods in FY 2015-16. He said that Customs Intelligence authorities seized 157 non-duty paid vehicles in FY2015-16 and deposited reasonable amount in national exchequer. While other seized goods includes foreign origin cloth amounting to Rs1.3 million, food grains, 751 numbers of foreign origin tyres and tubes, tea, 162 bottles of foreign liquor amounting to Rs2.8 million, petrol Rs2 million, auto spare parts market value of Rs1.8 million and other different kind of articles.
Deputy Director Khuldunul Haq said that our performance shows that nothing is impossible if we work with full devotion, He said that customs authorities seized duplicate cigarettes, electronics goods, CDs, toilet soaps, vegetable oil, DVDs, LCDs, zafarani patti, pan parag worth million of rupees in international market.
Deputy Director Khuldunul Haq said that Customs Intelligence authorities thwarted many attempts to smuggle huge quantity of narcotics inside the country and seized 4,894.500 kilograms of hashish, 36 kilograms of opium, 12.5 kilograms of heroin, 40,550 kilograms of poppy. He said that we are also adopting comprehensive strategy to curb smuggling attempts in the region. He said that Customs Intelligence authorities are already in talks to other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) for this purpose. He said that we are also trying to get rid of corrupt elements which are in customs department, while on the other hand Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Nisar Mohammad Khan directed all customs collectorate to adopt zero tolerance policy for smugglers.
He said that FBR Chairman Nisar Mohammad also directed to all relevant collectorate to forward report about foiling smuggling attempts on weekly basis. Deputy Director Khuldunul Haq said that customs department will continue to encourage devoted and honest staff.
In reply to a question he said that we will try our best to perform with same spirit and zeal during the current Fiscal Year 2016-16.