Customs Launches Crackdown Against Warehouses Storing Smuggled Petrol, Cigarettes, Vapes

The Customs Department including the Customs Intelligence Department has launched a massive crackdown against warehouses storing smuggled goods, secret illegal storages, and pumping stores of petroleum products. A senior customs official told ProPakistani that the government has decided to give support of law enforcement agencies to the customs intelligence department for action against smugglers. The action would not focus on small tankers/vehicles carrying petroleum products, but information-based raids on warehouses and secret illegal storages and pumping stores of petroleum products. Under the plan, keeping in view the limited workforce, it has been decided that the customs intelligence department would be given the full support of law enforcement agencies for effective action against the smugglers. This shows that the law enforcement agencies would provide armed personnel to the customs intelligence department. In one case, the customs intelligence department, Lahore, raided one of the secret illegal storage and pumping sites of petroleum products in Sheikhupura worth Rs. 348 million. Officers seized 1.05 million liters of petrol (including a mixture with Solvent/Spirit) worth Rs. 313 million, and 100,000 liters of diesel worth Rs. 35 million. In another case, action has been taken against smugglers in Shah Alam Market and Railway Station I, Lahore, holding huge quantities of smuggled items worth Rs. 365,291,495. These items comprised cigarettes worth Rs. 262,489,572, betel nuts worth Rs. 6,345,679, vape kits worth Rs. 75,915,786, vape flavors worth Rs. 7,060,551, and Ind tobacco products worth Rs. 8,981,023.