Customs foils Rs22 million diesel smuggling bid off Karachi coast

In a major anti-smuggling breakthrough, the Marine Unit of Customs Enforcement Karachi foiled an attempt to smuggle Iranian high-speed diesel worth Rs22 million through the sea route near Hajmoro Creek in Keti Bandar, located in the Eastern Sector.

According to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the operation was carried out after intelligence reports indicated illicit fuel movement along Pakistan’s coastal belt. Customs teams intercepted two wooden launches in a coordinated maritime operation, seizing approximately 21,610 litres of high-speed diesel being smuggled into the country.

Officials described the operation as a significant success, marking the first major anti-smuggling action in Keti Bandar’s Eastern Sector in the past ten years.

“This operation demonstrates FBR’s commitment to protecting national economic interests, preventing all forms of smuggling, and ensuring the rule of law in Pakistan’s coastal areas,” the FBR said in an official statement.

The seized diesel and vessels have been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling network.

Customs authorities reaffirmed their resolve to intensify enforcement efforts along maritime and land routes, emphasizing that such illegal activities cause severe financial losses to the national exchequer and undermine legitimate trade.