FBR alerts officials to check smuggling of goods from Dubai

The intelligence agency of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received `credible' information from Dubai that the carriers/smugglers would make attempts in the next 7-10 days to illegally bring home a large quantity of appliances, IT equipments and entertainment/lifestyle products. These goods have reportedly been purchased from the recently concluded "GITEX Shopper" Dubai World Trade Centre, sources said.
It is learnt that the informers have given credible feedback about the attempts to be made by the carries to bring a huge quantity of goods without payment of duties and taxes through illegal channels. The intelligence agency has taken steps at all airports to nab all those who will bring these goods illegally.
Director General (Intelligence and Investigation), Inland Revenue, has formed special teams at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to take action against tax evaders bringing goods through illegal channels from Dubai. The teams which are headed by assistant directors - Hassan Bin Izhar, Saad Waqas and Asif Abro - will monitor all exit points of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi airports, respectively, to check illegal movement of goods purchased from GITEX Shoppers.
These teams, the sources added, will also conduct raids on shops selling non-tax paid goods, besides monitoring transfer of capital from Pakistan to Dubai in between April 1-4, 2015.
According to a tax expert, the FBR's Customs Intelligence can also benefit from the network created by the DG (Intelligence and Investigation) Inland Revenue at Dubai to trace and hunt the tax evaders. The Directorate of Customs Intelligence can also co-ordinate with the information received from the informers working aboard, the sources said.
"GITEX Shopper" held in Dubai from April 1 to 4 is the region's best consumer electronics event even with power retailers and world class brands.
Sources said that a large number of Pakistani businessmen visit "GITEX Shopper" event which is held twice in a year to make purchases worth millions of rupees. Moreover, concerned officers have been directed to arrest all those tax evaders under Sales Tax Act, 1990 who will bring products from Dubai without paying tax.