Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) authorized provincial officials—including deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, and excise officers—to raid and seize smuggled or tax-evading cigarettes at retail outlets, warehouses, and in transit. Under the order, provincial officers can now target counterfeit or untaxed cigarettes and their transport vehicles. All seized goods will be handed over to the nearest Regional Tax Office for further legal action.
Seized cigarettes lacking valid tax stamps, or with fake ones, will be confiscated and destroyed, with seizures reported to the FBR within 48 hours using a newly developed application. The move is aimed at curbing illicit cigarette trade and ensuring compliance with excise regulations across Pakistan.
