In a significant operation, Pakistan Customs uncovered a staggering 530 tons of black tea that was being hoarded illegally in Karachi. The raid, which took place at a warehouse in Hawkes Bay, revealed the extent of the illicit activity surrounding the storage of the valuable commodity.
Authorities, estimating the value of the seized tea to be around Rs1.6 billion, stated that the operation was a result of careful monitoring by Customs intelligence. The initial tip-off came regarding a consignment of 14 tons of tea that had been cleared by the Port Qasim collectorate. However, instead of being transported to its intended destination in Kashmir, the tea was diverted to the Abdullah Warehouse in Hawkes Bay.
Upon discovering this irregularity, the Customs intelligence team swiftly acted and conducted the raid at the warehouse, uncovering the massive stash of black tea. It is believed that nearly 3,000 tons of tea have been sold in Karachi without proper tax payments, causing significant losses amounting to billions of rupees to the national exchequer.
Tea stands as one of Pakistan’s major imports, with figures reaching $336.423 million in the previous year alone. This recent bust highlights the ongoing challenges authorities face in combating smuggling and tax evasion in the country’s import sector.
Authorities have vowed to continue their efforts to curb such illegal activities, ensuring that all imports are properly documented and taxed to safeguard the nation’s economic interests.
