ISLAMABAD: A recent law makes vehicles or other modes of transportation used to transfer contraband immediately liable to confiscation without the possibility of paying a fee.
The amendment to SRO 499 of 2009 gives law enforcement the authority to seize cars that are used to transport contraband as part of a bold effort to step up the government’s anti-smuggling campaign.
The revision was announced earlier this month, and according to an official statement from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), it reflects the government’s desire to prevent smuggling, which deprives the economy of vital revenue and promotes the informal sector.
The proposal would make it so that any vehicle used to convey illegal items would be immediately seized and there would be no chance to pay a fee. This is a substantial change from the former system, under which violators may redeem their impounded automobiles by paying a redemption fine.
By sealing a gap, the new method guarantees that the equipment used in smuggling operations is taken out of circulation forever.
Rashid Mahmood Langrial, the chairman of the Federal Bureau of Revenue, has demanded that Customs officers and law enforcement agencies move quickly to implement this amendment through concerted efforts and guarantee that all vehicles involved in smuggling be confiscated and removed from service permanently.
