The Deputy Collector Customs Hammad has said that Customs station at Pak-Afghan border Torkham seized 7272 Kgs of sugar during July and August. That sugar was tried to smuggle from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
The Deputy Collector told the Mahsool.net that under guidance of the Chief Collector KPK Muhammad Saleem and the Collector MCC Peshawar Appraisement Muhammad Ashfaq to prevent smuggling of sugar vigilance has enhanced at Pak-Afghan international border.
Telling the details of seized sugar the Deputy Collector said that during the period July to August 2023 the Customs staff of Torkham station intercepted 10 number of consignment carrying smuggled sugar to Afghanistan. He added that the Customs staff also registered two FIRs against the culprits of sugar smuggling mafia, he added that the FIRs respectively 17/2023 and 16/2023 had been filed against them.
The DC told that the seized 10 consignments were carrying smuggled sugar in quantity of 1072kg, 1160kg, 2140kg, 600kg, 500kg, 400kg, 450kg, 500kg, 250kg, and 200kg. Answering to a query he explained that all the seized sugar has been sold in public auction.
Regarding smuggling of sugar to Afghanistan via Baluchistan a sources of the FBR told mahsool.net that most of the sugar is smuggled via Balochistan to Afghanistan and there is very little customs staff while the area is very larg.
Due to the large area, Customs alone could not stop the smuggling of sugar, so a few months ago the FBR extended the jurisdiction of the LEAs (law enforcement agencies) from 20 km to 50 km under SRO 901,902,903 of 2023 so that Sugar smuggling can be stopped.
The sources also said that due to the above measures, FBR has seized thousands of kilograms of smuggled sugar from border area of Baluchistan and handed over or sold it to the local administration of Balochistan.
