Customs burns smuggled goods worth Rs4b

QUETTA:

Pakistan Customs officials destroyed smuggled goods worth approximately Rs4 billion in a ceremony held on Tuesday at the Kach Mor drug destruction point in Quetta.

Officials belonging to various agencies working against the menace of smuggling were also present on the occasion along with journalists.

The contrabands included narcotics, liquor, gutka, medicines, Chinese salt and betel nuts.

Chief guest of the event, Balochistan Chief Customs Collector Gul Rehman praised all the agencies concerned for working tirelessly against smuggling. He extolled the effort of the department for ensuring seizures of smuggled and contraband goods.

Rehman called upon the officers and staff of the MCC (preventive) to rid society of the narcotics’ menace and remain vigilant to the ever-changing trends of smuggling.

He also appreciated the role of other law enforcement agencies assisting the customs department in the field of anti-smuggling activities.

Further on, Customs Collector Irfan Javed relayed that 3,542 kgs of hashish, 554 liquor bottles,1,350 tonnes of gutka and 1,943 tonnes of betel nuts apart from Chinese salts and expired cosmetics and medicines were burnt down.

Heads of law enforcement agencies including the Frontier Corps, the Anti-Narcotics Force, Balochistan police, senior civil servants, citizens and representatives of the business community were also present at the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2020.