June 3, 2002	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 21,1423

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KOHAT, June 2: The smuggling of non-custom-paid vehicles and electronics goods from across the Durrand Line into the tribal areas of Pakistan is continuing despite the presence of a large number of army troops at the long border, causing huge losses to the national exchequer, customs sources told Dawn on Saturday.

The prices of these vehicles have fallen drastically due to the continuing crackdown of the US-led forces on the Taliban and Al Qaeda members and the uncertainty prevailing in the tribal areas.

Daud, who has been doing this illegal business for seven years, informed Dawn that the carriers received Rs50,000 for smuggling non-custom-paid vehicles into Punjab and Sindh from across the western border of the country.

The business continues unabated, for there exists an old and strong network among the law enforcement agencies, the staff of the excise department and the smugglers.

The fake registration of a smuggled vehicle costs Rs50,000. The price of a Toyota 88-model smuggled car is Rs200,000, much lower than the legally imported car’s price is.

In dozens of open-air showrooms spread over acres of land, at least 7,000 vehicles of various types and models are awaiting potential buyers and the business is slowly picking up. The personnel of the border security force charge between Rs2,000 and Rs3,000 for allowing a vehicle to enter the country.

Replying to a question, the sources said the prices of the non-custom paid vehicles was “extremely’ low and from 30 to 50 vehicles entered the country daily — an indication that the border security force was making hundreds of thousands of rupees every day.

According to the sources, Hiace was priced at between Rs50,000 and Rs150,0000, Toyota 88 model Rs100,000, Mercedes between Rs300,000 and Rs450,000. Toyota pick-up Rs180,000 and jeeps of different models between Rs50,000 and Rs70,000.

An official said that only during the last year, the customs staff had confiscated smuggled vehicles worth Rs800 million and almost the same amount had been made under the amnesty period for the registration of such vehicles.