PM orders probe into smuggling network involving 78 Customs officials, private operators: report

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of a smuggling network allegedly involving 78 individuals, including 37 Customs officers and 41 private smugglers, following an intelligence agency’s report on illicit trade operations, The Express Tribune reported. 

The network is accused of smuggling non-customs-paid goods, including cigarettes, tyres, and textiles, from Quetta to major cities such as Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. 

Intelligence reports suggest that bribes ranging from Rs2 million to Rs30 million per month were exchanged to facilitate operations, with some funds allegedly covering Customs office expenditures.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been directed to investigate and submit its findings by February 28 to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after an intelligence agency uncovered the smuggling network’s operations. 

The findings, previously reported in the media, prompted FBR Chairman to order a fact-finding inquiry led by Basit Maqsood Abbasi, Chief Collector of Customs Enforcement, and Nayyer Shafiq, Collector of Customs Appraisement, Karachi.

Among those implicated are officers holding grades 18, 19, and 20, many of whom served in Lahore, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Islamabad. Some are accused of ensuring that smuggled goods bypass routine checks, while others allegedly managed transfers and postings to favor illicit trade. 

One officer is suspected of receiving Rs30 million per month in kickbacks, while another reportedly pressured small-scale smugglers to integrate into the larger network. Money collected from smuggling was handled by intermediaries and deposited with a driver working under a senior officer. The driver, who was also a transportation officer on deputation, allegedly played a key role in distributing bribes among Customs officials.

Concerns have been raised about potential money laundering, with some proceeds possibly being transferred abroad. Reports indicate that one officer ensured duty shifts continued without interruptions, allowing smuggled containers to pass unchecked, while another allegedly facilitated the trafficking of liquor and non-duty-paid iPhones.

As per the report, the prime minister is personally overseeing the investigation, emphasising the need for a comprehensive probe to dismantle the network and prevent revenue losses.