20000115

Lahore Customs

sieze 63 vehicles,

45 kg heroin in

past 6 months

LAHORE: The anti-smuggling wing of Collectorate of Customs, Lahore impounded 63 non-duty paid vehicles besides seizure of narcotics during the first half of the financial year 1999-2000.

Collector Customs Aftab Anwar Baloch told APP here on Friday that due to re-organisation of Anti-Smuggling Wing on modern lines, round-the-clock close monitoring and good governance, 95 cases of contraband goods worth millions of rupees were detected which included seizure of 45.37 kgs of heroin and 11.39 kgs of gold.

He said that Lahore Customs has not only achieved the revenue target but also surpassed the same during the period under review. He said that a total amount of Rs 3,533.4 million was collected as Customs Duty against collection of Rs 3,037.22 million during the correspondng six months of last year showing an increase of Rs 496.18 million (+ 16 percent).

In line with the policies of the present government, a special emphasis has been given to the recovery of long-standing arrears from the defaulters. Due to extra-ordinary efforts an amount of Rs 390.00 million was recovered while during the corresponding period of the last year only Rs 91.85 million could be recovered. The recovery campaign is still going on and better results are expected during the 2nd half of current fiscal year.

Baloch said that as a result of strict vigilance and supervision by the senior staff, the performance of Lahore Airportt Traffic has considerably improved and a total number of 300 seizure cases were instituted and goods worth Rs 18.37 million were seized.ÑAPP