Pakistan Customs has seized essential commodities worth Rs. 2.25 billion in various operations across the country over the past 15 days, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday.

According to reports, Pakistan Customs has intensified the counter-smuggling operations and started a crackdown against smuggled goods especially essential commodities, POL, currency, and other goods.

Essential commodities including sugar and urea are smuggled from Pakistan and goods including POL are smuggled into Pakistan through unfrequented routes spanning the bordering areas of Afghanistan and Iran.

These smuggled goods are subsequently transported via trucks and in the case of passenger vehicles in smaller quantities to the main urban centers.

During the last fortnight, Pakistan Customs seized large quantities of essential commodities worth approximately Rs. 2.25 billion in various operations across the country including Quetta, D.I. Khan, Multan, Karachi, Sargodha, and Lahore regions. The major seized essential commodities included sugar, urea, POL, local currency as well as tyres, black tea, betel nuts, vehicles, iron, steel, and other goods.

 In the Balochistan region, on September 2, Customs Enforcement-Quetta seized 1,637 tons of sugar worth approximately Rs. 1 billion from smugglers in a convoy of 15 trucks.

 This was followed by a massive seizure of smuggled goods and vehicles, worth Rs. 519 million on Daraban-Darazinda Road D.I. Khan on September 3 in collaboration with local police and 218,000 liters of smuggled POL/ diesel, valued at approximately Rs. 137.6 million by Customs Enforcement-D.I. Khan.

Last week, Customs Enforcement-Karachi disrupted the flow of smuggled POL by seizing Iranian origin 115,000 liters of diesel and 30,000 liters of petrol.

 Moreover, strict instructions to the anti-smuggling formations including mobile squads of the Collectorates and airports have been issued to keep vigilance on the illicit movement of essential goods, Iranian POL, and currency.

FBR Chairman Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana and Member Customs (Ops) Ms. Zeba Hai Azhar have appreciated the timely action by Pakistan Customs to thwart the smuggling of essential goods. Pakistan Customs is committed to eliminating the menace of smuggling from the country, they added.