FBR takes action against illicit cigarettes trade

Taking serious notice of growing illicit cigarettes trade, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) field formations have intensified enforcement actions to check transportation of non-duty paid items and confiscated illegal cigarettes worth Rs10 million during a major operation on GT Road, Peshawar.

A senior FBR official confirmed that new enforcement measures would be in place to control smuggling and sale of non-duty paid item in the coming budget (2020-2021).

The FBR's Regional Tax Office, Peshawar has further paced up operation against illegal trade of cigarettes.

During a successful operation, illegal cigarettes worth Rs10 million have been confiscated.

On specific instructions of Commissioner Corporate Zone Peshawar Tariq Jamal Khattak, a well-planned operation was conducted on GT Road Peshawar under supervision of Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue Muhammad Tariq by Inspector Zafar Iqbal Incharge Tobacco Squad No 2, and got hold of three trucks and two cars.

They confiscated 329 cartons of illegal and counterfeit cigarettes having an estimated worth of Rs10 million.

Tax authorities were of the view that confiscated cigarettes were illegal. Commissioner Corporate Zone Peshawar Tariq Jamal Khattak has warned that trade, production and transportation of illegal and tax-evaded cigarettes shall be barred with strict measures and no concession will be given in this regard.

In recent past, major enforcement actions have been carried out by the Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) Hyderabad, and Regional Tax Office (RTO) Peshawar, against non-duty paid cigarettes, preventing huge loss of revenue.

The IREN Hyderabad launched a major crackdown against illicit cigarettes and seized huge quantity of low-quality and non-duty paid cigarettes.-SOHAIL SARFRAZ