Customs authorities in Peshawar and Sargodha carried out major enforcement actions on Saturday and Sunday, seizing multiple consignments of smuggled and non-duty-paid goods worth tens of millions of rupees as part of an intensified national crackdown on illicit trade.
In Peshawar, the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement seized a large consignment of foreign-origin contraband valued at Rs50 million, along with the vehicle transporting it, bringing the total case value to Rs70 million. The interception took place at Nizampur, Pindi Road, after Kohat Customs Division officials followed a suspicious Hino truck during a surveillance operation and stopped it at a mobile checkpoint around 4:30pm.
According to officials, the vehicle was loaded with non-duty-paid items, including 15,000 sticks of assorted foreign cigarettes, 2,200kg of betel nuts, 1,000 packets of gutka and 1,200 packets of hookah products. The driver was unable to produce import documents, leading to an immediate seizure under the Customs Act, 1969. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner Customs Omer Jan, assisted by Inspectors Asif Nisar and Waqar Ahmad.
Separately, the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement Sargodha intercepted multiple smuggling attempts. A non-custom-paid Toyota Prius was seized on Motorway M-14, while a raid at a godown in Dajal, District Bhakkar, resulted in the recovery of nearly Rs10 million worth of foreign-origin cigarettes.
The Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) in Sahiwal further confiscated a vehicle carrying 48,000 litres of industrial solvent after documents falsely declared only 24,000 litres. Additional enforcement teams in Faisalabad detained consignments including foreign-made cigarettes, Chinese salt, skimmed milk powder, glutamine powder and other contraband items.
Officials noted that the industrial solvent was intended for illegal sale in Sahiwal, while the goods seized in other raids were linked to organised smuggling networks affecting government revenue and market stability.
The Federal Board of Revenue reiterated that it remains committed to curbing smuggling and illicit trade through sustained enforcement operations across the country.
