Lahore: A significant crackdown on smuggling was carried out by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), resulting in the seizure of a truck loaded with smuggled Iranian tiles worth millions of rupees. The tiles were illicitly transported from Baluchistan to Punjab, with the connivance of corrupt Customs officials.
Acting on a tip-off from Additional Director FIA, a dedicated raiding team was promptly assembled to intercept the suspected vehicle at Kangni Wala Market. Upon interrogation, the driver of the vehicle, Abdul Majeed, confessed to transporting the tiles from Quetta and admitted to paying bribes to Customs check posts along the route.
The revelation brought to light a disturbing pattern, indicating that this was not an isolated incident but rather an ongoing practice of smuggling tiles and other goods from Quetta to Punjab, with Customs officers regularly accepting monthly bribes. The names of some of the Customs officers involved in this illegal operation were also disclosed by Majeed.
The implications of such rampant smuggling are far-reaching, as it leads to substantial revenue losses for the national exchequer and causes significant harm to the local tile industry. An FIR has been registered, and thorough investigations are underway to apprehend all those responsible and recover the smuggled goods.
Additionally, it is worth noting that the FIA is diligently pursuing a major corruption case involving Customs officers who have been facilitating smuggling and accepting bribes from smugglers. Several Customs officers have already been arrested, and substantial amounts of money and assets have been recovered from them.
The authorities are committed to upholding the rule of law and eradicating smuggling and corruption from the country to ensure fair trade practices and safeguard the nation’s financial interests.
