ISLAMABAD – The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has launched a crackdownagainst the traders involved in the sale of counterfeit cigarettes.
It was revealed that it has also started a countrywide awareness campaignamong the traders to avert them from selling non-duty paid items.
The FBR’s spokesperson tweeted, “FBR has launched a crackdown against thetraders/businessmen involved in illicit trade of counterfeit cigarettes andtax evasion”.
The revenue authority launched the enforcement exercise against the sellersof non-duty paid and counterfeit cigarettes in different markets of thecountry on the directions of the Prime Minister.
This is for the first time that FBR has also started an awareness campaignamong the traders to remain cautioned while selling counterfeit cigarettesor face punishments and heavy fines.
In this connection, Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) has beenempowered to obtain logistic and human resource support from Customs whenrequired in order to conduct enforcement actions. The territorialCollectorate of Customs will provide complete assistance to the IREN inthis regard.
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This FBR order has been issued on Monday with the approval of the FBRMember IR Operations and FBR Member Customs Operations. The logistic andhuman resource support from the Customs department will help the IREN totake action against the sellers of counterfeit cigarettes.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had expressed his concern over the growingillegal trade of cigaretteslinkinPakistan and has ordered a countrywide crackdown on the illicit import ofcigarettes.
The country suffers an annual loss of Rs. 30-40 billion because of theillegal tobacco trade, as it is hurting the documented and compliantsector.
The recent increase in illicit trade is undermining various measures takenby the government to effectively address this public health issue which isalso causing considerable losses to the national exchequer on account oftax evasion.
