ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has created six new Model Customs Collectorates to increase enforcement, monitoring of imports/exports and anti-smuggling activities across the country.

In this connection, the FBR has issued SRO 2301(I) /2022 here on Wednesday.

The new customs Collectorates have been established at Islamabad Airport; Khuzhdar; Dera Ismail Khan; South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT) Karachi; Appraisement-West, Lahore and Appraisement-East, Lahore.

Now, the total number of the Model Customs Collectorates stood at 35 including seven Chief Collector of Customs offices.

The purpose of creating the new Model Customs Collectorates is to intensify anti-smuggling operations and improve revenue collection from customs clearances and imports, sources added.

Under the new notification, the Collector Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT) Karachi has been empowered to deal with all matters relating to the cargo clearance for imports including temporary imports of all sorts routed through South Asia Pakistan Terminal Karachi; warehousing of goods in public and private bonds and auction of goods.

The Collector Collectorate of Customs Islamabad International Airport would be empowered to deal with all matters of the clearance of export and import cargo including temporary imports; monitoring of the Air Freight Unit (AFU) at airport; passengers tariff and handling of crew; accompanied and unaccompanied baggage of passengers and crew; monitoring of airports and terminal gates; sealing and de-selling of shipment; ground handling agents; warehouses; anti-smuggling and drug enforcement at the airport and Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU) and aircraft clearance, boarding and rummaging.

The Collector Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement) Dera Ismail Khan would be authorized to conduct anti-smuggling and preventive operations including field units including mobile squads/check posts in the specified areas; investigation and prosecution branch; auction and destruction of goods and monitoring of gates of dry ports and border customs stations including transit trade and other powers specified in the notification.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022