Another country is cracking down on smuggled vaping devices from China
Shortly after Kazakhstan's customs intercepted smuggled e-cigarettes worth 100 million yuan from China on July 3, Pakistani law enforcement has recently seized a batch of smuggled e-cigarettes.
On July 13, Pakistani media reported that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Customs Intelligence and Investigation conducted a major operation in Karachi, seizing smuggled e-cigarettes valued at 90 million Pakistani Rupees (approximately 2.344 million yuan). These e-cigarettes also originated from China and involved multiple e-cigarette brands.
Karachi, Pakistan's largest city with a population exceeding 20 million, serves as the national center for commerce, industry, and culture, accounting for 40% of the country's industrial output. Geographically, Karachi is located on the southern coast of Pakistan, northwest of the Indus River Delta, bordered by the Arabian Sea. The Port of Karachi, as the largest port in Pakistan, plays a crucial role in foreign trade.
(Port of Karachi)
After receiving a tip-off, the FBR Customs Intelligence and Investigation raided a building on Shahrah e Faisal in Karachi and successfully seized this batch of smuggled e-cigarettes. In this operation, over 20,000 smuggled e-cigarettes, 1,378 kilograms of e-cigarette accessories, and 578 liters of flavored e-liquid were confiscated, with an estimated total value exceeding 90 million Pakistani Rupees.
According to local media reports, the owner of this batch of smuggled goods was unable to present valid import documents. While seizing the goods, law enforcement also arrested the owner and initiated an investigation. Currently, the arrested individuals are being interrogated to identify and apprehend more accomplices involved in smuggling e-cigarettes.
Habib Ahmed, Director General of Pakistan Customs Intelligence, stated that this is the largest crackdown on smuggled e-cigarettes in the country's history, and this illegal smuggling operation has been successfully thwarted by the enforcement team of the Federal Board of Revenue.
