Anti-smuggling operations: Customs using 155 tampered and confiscated vehicles, National Assembly told

The customs department of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is using 155 tampered and confiscated vehicles for carrying out anti-smuggling operations across the country. In a written reply to the National Assembly here on Monday, Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin said that at present 155 tampered and confiscated vehicles are in the operational use of the Customs Department.
Responding to another question, he said that a total of 8237 non-duty paid vehicles were confiscated during the last five years. However, 2081 vehicles were auctioned involving Rs 1081.107 million.
To a question, he said that it is a fact that office furniture was purchased by the FBR for its employees at Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) and Large Taxpayers Unit (LTU) and Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Islamabad from China. The furniture was purchased under International Competitive Bidding (ICB) for Tax Administrative Reforms Project funded by the World Bank. Procurement process was started in September 2007 and the supply of furniture was completed in August 2009. Entire process was started and completed in terms of the World Bank Procurement Guidelines.
Total cost of the contract was Rs 149,083,092. No payment in foreign exchange was made. The payment was made in local currency as an Inland L/C was established in favour of the bidder M/s Western Computer (Pvt) Limited, Lahore, who was local partner of the foreign supplier, he added.