ISLAMABAD: Directorate General Intelligence and Investigation Customs has informed Prime Minister’s Complaint Portal that smuggling of edible oil in large quantities is not taking place from Pak-Iran Taftan border.

Responding to a compliant on the PM Portal, the concerned Customs authorities have refused to accept the reality that smuggling of edible oil is taking place at Pak-Iran border. The Customs intelligence has submitted this strange report after taking input of the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Quetta.

The report filed by the Directorate General Intelligence and Investigation Customs on behalf of Collectorate of Customs Enforcement, Quetta, is contrary to the facts shared by the edible oil industry.

Contrary to this, the customs authorities have asked the industry to provide specific evidence of smuggling of cooking oil.

A complaint was filed by the edible oil sector on the smuggling of the large quantities of edible oil with the Prime Minister’s Complaint Portal.

According to the response of the Customs Department, a very small population living near Taftan border is allowed small quantities of edible oil by the district administration.

Moreover, the law enforcement units at Nokkundi, Dalbandin, and Nushki randomly check passenger buses and other vehicles but they could only find very negligible quantity of cooking oil.

The Collectorate is very strict in its actions and during the last three months it seized 25 metric tons (MT) of cooking oil worth Rs711 million. However, in recent few months, any anti-smuggling action taken by the law enforcement agencies are exploited by local politicians, as a move against the right of the local community resulting into road blocks and sit-in. Therefore, any action against smuggling has to be taken carefully.

The said Collectorate requests the complainant to provide specific evidence of smuggling of cooking oil in bowzers, so that a targeted action can be taken against them.

The collectorate has zero-tolerance against the smuggling of all commodities including cooking oil.

After probing deep into the matter, the Collectorate learnt that Iranian oil is smuggled through unfrequented routes from coastal areas, which is spread over 700kms. The oil is then transported through passenger vehicles in small quantities to up country.

The Collectorate is unable to take any action as it does not have speed boats and other marine equipment and cannot take any action in deep sea. Therefore, the interceptions are mostly taken on inland transporting vehicles.

Despite all the difficulties, the Collectorate is aware of the situation and increased its operations against the Iranian cooking oil.

During last six months of fiscal year 2021-22 (July to January), 70,007 litres of Iranian cooking oil worth Rs13.60 million was seized.

The Collectorate has instructed its anti-smuggling formations including mobile squads of Collectorate to intensify the operations against Iranian cooking oil.

Accordingly, all possible resources shall be deployed to contain the smuggling of Iranian cooking oil within the jurisdiction of the said Collectorate.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022