On July 13th, the Customs Enforcement Agency under Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) made a historic bust in the city of Karachi, seizing smuggled e-cigarettes valued at tens of millions of rupees, according to reports from various Pakistani media outlets.
The Director of the Customs Enforcement Agency, Habib Ahmed, confirmed this as the largest e-cigarette smuggling case ever busted in the country’s history. Acting on a tip-off, the agency conducted a surprise search on a building on Shahrah-e-Faisal Street, confiscating about 20,088 smuggled e-cigarettes, 1,378 kilograms of e-cigarette accessories, and 578 litres of vape juice. The total value of the seized smuggled goods exceeded 90 million rupees (USD $332,000).
The owners of the smuggled goods could not provide legal import documents, leading to their arrest by the Customs Enforcement Agency, which has now opened a case against them. The suspects are currently under interrogation to ascertain if there were any other conspirators involved in the operation.
Karachi, where the raid was conducted, is Pakistan’s largest city and economic hub, located in the southern part of the country. Situated along the coast of the Indian Ocean, it’s one of the most important port cities in Pakistan. The city, home to over 20.8 million residents, is known for its diverse population and thriving commercial activities.