Customs Balochistan launched a crackdown against sugar smugglers and hoarders after Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the artificial shortage and subsequent price hike.
In the open market, the sugar price jumped up from Rs95 to Rs130 per kilo suddenly. This happened because of the massive smuggling of sugar to neighboring Afghanistan, traders and customers claimed.
Customs Balochistan claimed to have seized sugar worth Rs25 crores in different raids conducted near Pak-Iran and Afghan borders.
“We have tightened nose around the sugar smugglers and the crackdown will continue,” Chief Collector Customs Balochistan, Muhammad Saleem told a news conference on Tuesday.
The unverified videos of trucks loaded with sugar and fertilizers in Balochistan’s Kharan district made rounds on social media forcing the federal government to order a crackdown against sugar smugglers.
In a video widely shared on social media, a long queue of trucks laden with sugar could be seen.
In this regard, the operation was started in full cooperation with other law enforcement agencies on the border, Muhammad Saleem mentioned.
Under this, a series of joint operations, joint check posts and joint patrols were adopted, he added.
As a result of which the largest operation in the history of the province has been initiated in the last few days involving the customs, FC, and levies force.
Saleem stated that professional smugglers adopted various tactics against the customs. Cars were stuck in the sand to keep the chasing law enforcers at a safe distance.
The said around 37,200 parcels of sugar and fertilizer loaded in 45 trucks had been recovered.
Sugar worth Rs90 lakh and fertilizer worth Rs30 lakh was being smuggled.
Apart from this, 59 cases of sugar and three cases of fertilizer smuggling were registered during the two weeks of April.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2023.
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