FBR confiscates 300 cartons of non-duty paid cigarettes

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has confiscated around 300 cartons of non-duty paid cigarettes in the Faisalabad region.

According to officials, the Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (Inland Revenue)-Faisalabad has seized 300 cartons (3,000,000 sticks) of non-duty paid cigarettes of different brands from multiple locations/stock-houses of traders in Faisalabad.

In the first raid, Tobacco Squad of I&I (IR)-Faisalabad, under the supervision of Deputy Director Imran Zafar, in exercise of powers u/s 38 of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 read with Rule 62 of the Federal Excise Duty, 2005, visited the business premises/sales office of a registered person in Timber Market. Upon search of his godown located near Lari Ada, Tandlianwala, 150 cartons of counterfeit/non duty paid cigarettes were recovered.

Officials said the owner was asked to provide sales tax invoice/Bill-T and other allied documents but he failed to produce any document whatsoever, after which the cartons of non-duty paid cigarette were seized.

In another similar action undertaken by this directorate, Tobacco Squad Faisalabad on a tip off reached Deputywala Interchange, M-3 Motorway, Faisalabad and found 150 cartons of non-duty paid cigarettes about half a kilometer away from the interchange under a makeshift shed. Two persons present there were questioned but they failed to produce any documents i.e. sales tax invoices/Bill-T.

The cigarette appeared counterfeited/non-duty paid and were accordingly taken in to custody.

Official said that estimated tax and duties evaded on the recovered merchandise may run in millions of rupees.