ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):Federal Minister for Finance, Shaukat Tarin on Friday appreciated Federal Board of Revenue’s Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) commendable performance against illegal cigarette trade country wide.
Building on its momentum to maximize tax compliance, Federal Board of Revenue’s Inland Revenue Enforcement Network (IREN) Squads, has seized 93,526,800 illegal cigarettes worth Rs. 225,382,680 involving duties and taxes of Rs. 183,904,753 in the seven months of FY 2021-22. Likewise, during the month of January, 2022, IREN has seized non duty / tax paid cigarettes of Rs. 29,708,028 (approximately 13,080,000 sticks) resulting in detection of evasion of duties and taxes worth Rs. 27,769,698, said a press release issued here.
It is pertinent to mention that IREN was established in September 2019 with a Chief Coordinator, Central Field Coordinator and seven regional enforcement hubs all across Pakistan, tasked to conduct raids and seizures on the counterfeit and non-duty paid cigarettes.
As a part of ongoing crackdown against illicit cigarette trade country wide, all IREN hubs have intensified their operation against businesses dealing in non-duty paid and counterfeit cigarettes to save national exchequer from revenue loss. Moreover, IREN has also been entrusted to ensure its enforcement in entire supply chain of Sugar Industry.
For this purpose, the Chief Coordinator IREN and his Regional Enforcement Squads across Pakistan are geared to conduct raids and ensure seizures on the non-tax paid sugar stocks, which move out of the factory premises/warehouses without tax stamps.
As a result, IREN Squads have intensified their operations in every nook and corner of the country, against the non-compliant supply chain operators dealing in sugar sector in order to maximize revenue potential.
Minister for Finance and Revenue Mr. Shaukat Fayaz Tarin,has appreciated the performance of IREN Squads and announced cash reward for those officers, who conducted successful raids. He stated that Track and Trace system coupled with IREN’s valiant drive would help overcome the menace of non-tax paid goods in the market.
