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The increase in excise duties in February 2023 has led to an exponential increase in smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes. photo: Reuters
ISLAMABAD:
A subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday discussed the theft of 2,828 cartons of cigarettes from an FBR warehouse.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, received a briefing from FIA and FBR officials regarding the incident.
FIA officials informed the committee that drivers entering and exiting the warehouse are normally issued passes. They said the statements of the police officers whose names were revealed during the investigation were recorded.
Authorities added that on the day the cigarettes were moved, no pass was issued to the driver. They added that the team in charge was also absent during the transfer of the goods and no record was made.
FIA officials told the committee that no CCTV footage of the incident was available.
FBR officials said the department had rented the warehouse and no surveillance cameras were installed in the facility.
“We had informed all the officers verbally about the SOPs,” the FBR officials said.
