Islamabad, December 19, 2025 — In a significant crackdown on smuggling and illicit trade, the Collectorate of Enforcement Quetta has seized nine Non-Custom-Paid (NCP) vehicles along with a large quantity of smuggled goods during a major enforcement operation. The confiscated items include assorted brands of cigarettes, gutka, Chinese salt, and betel nuts, with the total value estimated at Rs 121.6 million.
According to official sources, the operation was conducted at Rakhni following credible intelligence reports and as part of ongoing directives to intensify action against NCP vehicles and smuggled goods. The enforcement drive was carried out with the active support of Frontier Corps (FC) North and the Loralai Police, ensuring effective coordination and successful interception.
All seized vehicles and smuggled items have been taken into official custody, while legal proceedings have been initiated under the Customs Act, 1969. Authorities confirmed that further investigations are underway to identify networks involved in smuggling and to take action against those facilitating illegal trade.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reiterated its commitment to stringent enforcement measures against smuggling, tax evasion, and the circulation of NCP vehicles, emphasizing that such operations are vital to protecting the national economy.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired a weekly performance review meeting of the FBR, during which he praised recent anti-smuggling operations across the country. He stressed that smuggling causes annual losses worth billions of rupees to the national exchequer and called for decisive and sustained action to curb illicit trade.
The prime minister commended Pakistan Customs for its effective enforcement, noting that successful operations had significantly reduced smuggling. He observed that several commodities previously smuggled were now entering the country through legal channels and becoming part of the formal economy. The prime minister further directed authorities to accelerate efforts against tax evasion and instructed provincial governments to fully cooperate with the FBR, particularly in taking action against illegal petrol pumps and other unlawful activities.