ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to launch mega crackdown against smuggled goods and in this regard joint teams of the revenue body will visit markets and shopping plazas in major cities of the country from September 01, 2019.
The FBR on Saturday issued a notification related to anti-smuggling drive, which highlighted the adverse impact of smuggled goods on the economy in general and industrial activities in particular.
The FBR said that it had started phased program, which included verification of imported documents of foreign goods available in the market.
“With effect from September 01, 2019 special joint teams of the FBR may be visiting major shopping areas especially large retailers in major cities to check the import documents the imported goods available for sale to ensure compliance to various requirement of the law,” it said.
The FBR clarified that such checking would not be called ‘raid’. “All teams will be conducting respective identification as being officially designated and the team will be headed by a senior person.”
It further said that in case a retailer/shopkeeper had not documents at the time of checking then the team would provide adequate opportunity to submit the document in respective offices/shops after reasonable time.
The FBR said that all relevant persons are expected to cooperate with the FBR personnel during this exercise which is being undertaken to ensure compliance of laws and discourage sale of smuggled goods.
The FBR asked Member Customs (Operations) and Member (IR-Operations) to supervise the activity and provide complete assistance to the joint team wherever required.
The FBR also directed Director General (I&I) and Director General (I&I) Inland Revenue to constitute joint teams under intimation to this office and concerned Member Operations keeping in view the scope of the activity on countrywide basis.
