Operation against Indian goods planned

Pakistan customs teams will swoop down on the wholesale markets of the old city area to seize smuggled Indian tobacco goods, sweets, chocolates, even popular brands of popcorn and cereals.

Customs has decided to launch a massive crackdown against confectionary, chewing tobacco, snuff, and other daily use items smuggled from India, officials told The Express Tribune.

The operation would be conducted with the help of police and local administration in big markets of the cities.

Customs teams plan to target Narankari Bazaar, Bohar Bazaar, Ghalla Mandi, and Dongi Khoi in the crackdown, officials said.

Customs intelligence investigation has revealed that Indian-made sweets, chocolates, and naswar are being smuggled into Pakistan along with legally imported vegetables and other items.

Pakistan also imports raw cotton, cotton yarn, chemicals, plastics, manmade yarn and dyes from the neighbour. However, unscrupulous elements use legal trade as cover to bring in banned items particularly orally consumed tobacco goods, customs officials confided.

A large number of wholesalers openly sell these smuggled items to retailers in Punjab and across the country.

Sources said that the smuggling was damaging the local industry therefore a grand operation will be launched soon. All preparations in this regard have been completed already.

Customs officials have collected information regarding the traders involved in the distribution of smuggled items.

Only the smuggled items would be confiscated while there will be strict action against the people involved in the illegal practice. Customs will take measures to end the practice permanently.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2020.