The Customs Intelligence in Karachi executed a meticulously planned operation, leading to the discovery of a clandestine tunnel used for smuggling non-duty paid diesel stolen from the Parco oil pipeline. The smugglers had employed an intricate 174-foot-long tunnel ingeniously connected to the Parco oil pipeline, allowing them to illicitly extract and pilfer non-duty-paid diesel. This unlawful activity had persisted unchecked for a considerable period, resulting in substantial financial losses estimated in billions of rupees on a daily basis.
The Customs Intelligence initiated the operation based on a tip-off from Director General Faiz Ahmad Chadhar, who pointed towards the involvement of an organized syndicate in the theft and illegal sale of non-duty paid diesel. The revelation of the tunnel underscored the evolving and complex nature of fuel smuggling in the country.
During the operation, the Customs Intelligence team successfully seized 65,000 liters of stolen diesel at the raid site, valued at Rs20 million. This seizure highlighted the extensive scale of the smuggling operation and the significant daily revenue loss to the government.
The smugglers had adopted a more sophisticated and covert approach in response to increased scrutiny and crackdowns on traditional smuggling routes and methods. The Customs Intelligence focused its attention on a suspicious industrial site in Karachi, leading to the breakthrough discovery. An Edible Oil factory at Port Qasim was identified as intricately involved in these illegal activities.
The owner of the factory was apprehended, marking a crucial step in unraveling the network behind this intricate smuggling operation. Ongoing investigations are in progress to arrest other members of the gang and determine the overall extent of financial losses incurred over time.
Director General Chadhar lauded the Customs Intelligence team for their successful operation, emphasizing the agency’s steadfast commitment to combating fuel smuggling. The operation serves as a testament to the vigilance and effectiveness of Customs Intelligence in tackling complex cases of illegal activities and preserving the integrity of the country’s financial system.
