Customs seizes smuggled goods worth Rs22.8 billion

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Customs Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASMO) has foiled an attempt to smuggle foreign goods worth Rs22.77 billion imported in the guise of iron and steel products.

The ASMO team carried out the operation near the Naurus Chowrangi of Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) area where a large quantity of smuggled foreign goods in two containers were being loaded onto trucks to be transported to different parts of the country.

In the goods declaration filed with the Customs Department, these items were shown as iron steel. As the documents and items did not match, all the items along with the two trucks were taken into custody and transferred to the headquarters.

Sources said that the recovered items included 255 mobile phones, 1,500 laptops, and 1,200 tablets of different types in addition to 25 LCD screens, 1,270 electronic cigarettes and flavours, and 100 cartons of soaps of different brands.

Sources said that the declared value of imported goods was Rs14.33 billion, however, after adding duties and taxes the amount summed up to Rs22.77 billion. The importers had made an attempt to evade over Rs8 billion in taxes and duties by misdeclaration of goods and their value.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2023.