Smuggling of non-duty paid cigarettes: AJK govt beefs up enforcement efforts

ISLAMABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has aggressively increased enforcement efforts to curb the smuggling of non-duty paid cigarettes to Pakistan during Eid holidays.

Documents of the AJK government available with Business Recorder revealed that smugglers involved in illegal cigarette trade have devised a plan to smuggle non-duty paid cigarettes from Mirpur and Bhimber into Pakistan by taking advantage of the Eid holidays.

Taking enforcement measures, the AJK government has enforced Section 144 from March 31 to April 2 to prevent any unlawful activities.

The details revealed that the Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Muhammad Ali Asghar, has taken proactive measures to ensure strict monitoring and counter cigarette smuggling during the holiday period from March 31 to April 2.

Enhanced surveillance and vigilance have been ordered at key points to handle illegal transportation if raw tobacco and tobacco products.

According to the excise officials, earlier the AJK Inland Revenue and Excise Department, with the assistance of local police, stripped an attempt to smuggle non-duty paid cigarettes worth millions of rupees from a well-known cigarette factory in Bhimber.

Inland Revenue Department’s Excise Mobile Squad in Bhimber intercepted a suspicious Loader Ford Wagon (registration number J-4796). The raiding team found carrying 70 cartons of Kisan brand cigarettes from the vehicle without legal required documents. Upon initial investigation, the driver claimed that the consignment had been loaded from the National Tobacco Factory in Bhimber and was destined for Nowshera Virkan.

After investigation, authorities have legal action against the cigarette manufacturer and had also sealed the premises of that factory.

Subsequently, AJK authorities have also implemented section 144 to prevent smuggling of non duty paid cigarettes from Mirpur and Bhimber to Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025