ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) -The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to launch a major crackdown on the thriving online trade of smuggled and non–custom-paid products, which are being successfully sold and liquidated across Pakistan through social media platforms.
According to FBR sources, beginning January 1, tax authorities will monitor Facebook pages, Instagram shops, WhatsApp seller groups and TikTok accounts involved in promoting and supplying smuggled items. Enforcement officers will pose as buyers to obtain phone numbers and email addresses, trace identities, and initiate legal action. NADRA will assist in verifying seller credentials.
Officials say that a vast range of smuggled items is currently being successfully traded online, including:
- Electronics and household appliances
- Laptops, Chromebooks, computers and accessories
- Cosmetics, makeup tools and perfumes
- Shoes, clothing, blankets, bedsheets and carpets
- Chocolates, confectionery, toffees, dry fruits, olive oil, olives and canned food
- Tyres, auto parts and car accessories
- Furniture, home décor, tiles, sanitary fittings and kitchen equipment
- Stoves, ovens, juicers, choppers and crockery
FBR believes this market has become one of Pakistan’s most successful illegal liquidation channels, allowing untaxed products to enter homes without passing customs checks, damaging documented businesses and causing massive revenue loss.
In an accompanying statement, the FBR said it is committed to strengthening enforcement through intelligence-based operations and inter-agency coordination to curb smuggling and protect the national economy.
Separately, FBR’s Social Media Monitoring Team has already collected profiles of individuals who showcase luxury lifestyles online despite not filing income tax returns, signalling a wider digital-economy enforcement strategy.
Summary
FBR will begin a nationwide crackdown on January 1 targeting the booming illegal online sale of smuggled goods. Electronics, cosmetics, imported foods, clothing, décor items and auto parts are among the biggest categories being successfully traded on social media. Sellers will be traced through phone and email records with NADRA support and action will follow through notices, raids and warehouse identification.
Tags
FBR, smuggled goods, online trade, social media sellers, illegal imports, tax enforcement, NADRA, Pakistan economy, non-custom-paid items, Facebook marketplace, Instagram shops, digital crackdown
