The largest cigarette factory in Bimber was raided based on intelligence, exposing the National Tobacco Company’s counterfeiting operations.
Muzaffarabad-(Shoaib Mehmood): Authorities in Muzaffarabad have initiated a major crackdown against the National Tobacco Company for its involvement in cigarette smuggling, tax evasion, and counterfeiting, resulting in significant losses to the national exchequer.
In a joint operation conducted by the Revenue Department and Police, hidden warehouses containing cigarettes and raw materials were raided, exposing the company’s illicit activities. It was revealed that the company had been producing counterfeit cigarettes in Bimber for years and distributing them in the market.
The operation uncovered that the National Tobacco Company had been smuggling truckloads of cigarettes from various areas of Bimber to Punjab every month to evade taxes. Additionally, the company allegedly enlisted the services of mafia groups to conduct a media campaign against its rival cigarette manufacturer and the Revenue Department.
According to sources, a former employee of Walton Tobacco Company, now working for the National Tobacco Company, played a pivotal role in facilitating the cigarette mafia’s operations in Muzaffarabad, leading to significant financial losses for the national exchequer.
The crackdown, which began in the Prime Minister’s ancestral district, targeted eight cigarette factories, of which two were found to be closed while six were operational. These active factories were manufacturing counterfeit cigarettes under registered brands and selling them in the market.
The largest cigarette factory in Bimber was raided based on intelligence, exposing the National Tobacco Company’s counterfeiting operations. Counterfeit cigarettes and raw materials worth billions of rupees were seized during the operation.
It was revealed that the National Tobacco Company had partnered with a prominent fake mafia in Azad Kashmir to undermine its rival and cause financial losses to the national exchequer by producing counterfeit cigarettes under the registered brands of Walton Tobacco Company.
Two years ago, an operation against the counterfeit cigarette mafia in Muzaffarabad had temporarily halted counterfeiting activities. However, the mafia resumed operations by partnering with the National Tobacco Company in Bimber.
In response to the revelations, authorities shut down the cigarette manufacturing company named “Vey Ward” in Muzaffarabad, and the machines used for producing counterfeit cigarettes were rendered useless.
Further investigations are underway, and authorities have vowed to take stringent action against those involved in the illicit cigarette trade, including individuals within law enforcement agencies and government departments.
Read More: Duty non-paid cigarettes worth millions confiscated from Bhimber, AJK
The crackdown marks a significant step towards curbing cigarette smuggling and counterfeiting in the region and underscores the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting public health.
