PESHAWAR: The Collectorate of Customs Enforcement Peshawar, in an intelligence-based operation carried out in the early hours of Thursday, seized a large consignment of smuggled foreign-origin cigarettes along with the vehicle used for transportation, with the total value estimated at Rs48 million.
According to official sources, the operation was launched after receiving credible information about the movement of an illicit consignment of cigarettes from Kulachi in Dera Ismail Khan towards Peshawar via less-frequented routes. Acting on the tip-off, the staff of JCP Yarik, with support from the Quick Response Force (QRF), intercepted a Mazda vehicle bearing registration number JV-4015 near the Lucky Cement Factory in Pezzu at around 2:00am.
The vehicle was escorted to JCP Yarik for a detailed examination, during which a substantial quantity of foreign-origin cigarettes was recovered. The contraband goods, along with the offending vehicle, were seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1969.
The seized items included 2,000 sleeves of Milano London cigarettes and 6,100 sleeves of Mond cigarettes. The value of the recovered cigarettes has been estimated at approximately Rs43 million, while the seized vehicle is valued at around Rs5 million.
Customs authorities reaffirmed that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) remains committed to curbing smuggling, eliminating corrupt practices, and safeguarding national revenue through sustained vigilance and intelligence-led enforcement operations.
