ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs has dismantled multiple networks engaged in the illicit trade of smuggled cigarettes and raw materials worth Rs1.1 billion used in illegal cigarette manufacturing.

Major recoveries were made in Lahore and Hyderabad, making it one of the largest seizures in Pakistan’s enforcement history.

The operation not only disrupted the illegal manufacturing network but also provided vital leads into the supply chain of raw materials being smuggled from abroad and distributed to unlicensed factories across Punjab.

An official announcement of the Federal Board of Revenue said that the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement), Lahore, conducted a major intelligence-led operation exposing an organised network of illegal cigarette manufacturers operating under the guise of rice mills.

Acting on a tip-off, Customs officers raided M/s Ayesha Rice Mills, Daska and recovered a massive consignment of acetate tow, cigarette paper, filter rods, aluminium foil, and adhesive materials — all essential inputs for the production of counterfeit and non-duty-paid cigarettes.

During follow-up investigation, another premises, M/s Nazeer Rice Mills, Daska, located nearby, was identified as a potential storage site. A detailed search revealed that the facility had been hurriedly vacated following the earlier raid.

Evidence recovered from the site confirmed that the smuggled materials had been relocated to warehouses near Sundar Industrial Estate, Lahore.

A coordinated team of the collectorate carried out raids, recovering approximately 12.5 metric tons of acetate tow and over 120 metric tons of cigarette-making materials, including packaging rolls, filters, and foils.

As part of the nationwide crackdown, the Collectorate of Customs (Enfor­ce­ment), Hyderabad, intensified operations against the smuggling of non-duty-paid cigarettes and illegal tobacco raw materials.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2025