BHIMBER (Kashmir English): The Excise and Inland Revenue Department in Bhimber Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) foiled an illegal cigarette smuggling attempt on March 25 by intercepting an illegal shipment and sealing the responsible factory.
The authorities in Bhimber have successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of non-custom paid cigarettes, following another raid conducted by the Excise and Inland Revenue Department on the instructions of Commissioner Inland Revenue Mirpur, Syed Ansar Ali.
Valuable information led officials to conduct the operation jointly with local police in the early morning hours. The cigarette factory in Bhimber tried to smuggle multiple millions of rupees worth of cigarettes without proper duty payment.
The Excise Mobile Squad Bhimber obtained intelligence about unauthorized transportation and established a control point on a highway between Pindi Jhunja Road and an unorganized dirt path. Officials stopped a Ford Wagon using plates J-4796 which held 70 cartons of Kisan cigarettes. The driver showed an invoice from National Tobacco Factory Bhimber which stated that the goods had legal status for delivery to Nowshera Virkan.
Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue Bhimber Muhammad Tanveer Khalid led his team at the Inland Revenue Department to inspect the factory following additional verification. Verification revealed that the invoice was not valid since the shipping company did not keep any paperwork showing clearance of the shipment. The factory failed to provide supporting records which proved that cigarette exports outside Bhimber were illegal.
The inner revenue department of Bhimber issued the official confiscation order for seized cigarettes according to government law following the investigation. The total worth of confiscated cigarettes, combined with tax evasion, exceeds millions of rupees.
The Commissioner for Inland Revenue Mirpur Division initiated a strict course of legal action because of the evident tax law violations. The department submitted an FIR against the factory after sealing its plant and machinery. The Deputy Commissioner of Inland Revenu, Bhimber, received a court presentation mandate for handling the case while completing all necessary legal procedures.
The Excise and Inland Revenue Department Bhimber has confirmed its dedication to maintaining tax law compliance as well as carrying out the government mandate against financial criminal acts. Officials plan to sustain tough actions against all parties who violate tax rules to guarantee that the government receives its taxes properly and maintains legal systems.
