Customs enforcement officials conducted a significant raid on a warehouse located on the outskirts of Lahore on Thursday. They seized smuggled cigarette paper, filters, and manufacturing materials valued at over Rs 1.3 billion.
The operation is part of a large-scale crackdown targeting cigarette smuggling networks and tax evasion across Punjab. The seizure represents a significant blow to an illicit supply chain operating between provinces.
The successful raid followed a thorough investigation that began when officials found illegal cigarette production machinery concealed in a rice mill located in the Daska Industrial Area two weeks earlier. The investigation revealed that this operation was part of a larger inter-provincial smuggling network, which used legitimate rice trading as a cover for its activities.
Pakistan Customs (Enforcement) under the Chief Collectorate of Customs, Islamabad, has conducted major multi-city operations dismantling networks involved in the smuggling of cigarettes and raw materials worth over Rs. 1.1 billion. 1/6 pic.twitter.com/xB6dg7pnxY
— FBR (@FBRSpokesperson) October 30, 2025After these findings, Collector of Customs Enforcement Muhammad Saeed Wattoo assigned a specialised team to dismantle the smuggling network. The team, led by Superintendent of Anti-Smuggling Rashid Munir, analysed CCTV footage and toll plaza data to trace the smuggling route from Daska to Lahore.
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The intelligence work led authorities to a concealed warehouse near Adda Plot. During the subsequent raid, officials uncovered massive quantities of contraband, including:
- 80 tons of cigarette paper
- 12 tons of filters
- Large quantities of paper structures and packaging materials
- Various other raw components are essential for cigarette manufacturing
This seizure disrupts the illegal cigarette supply chain in the region and highlights the effectiveness of intelligence-driven enforcement operations targeting organised smuggling networks.
