ABBOTTABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) authorities has unearthed an illegal cigarette manufacturing factory operating under the influence of a local political figure in Mansehra.The operation led to the seizure of raw materials for non-duty paid cigarettes valued at over Rs 20 million and the factory was promptly sealed.
FBR Regional Tax Officer Zubair Khan said that, acting on a tip-off, they rraided the site and unearthed the fully operational illegal production line. The factory, operating under the brand name “Room Cigarettes,” was distributing products across various regions of the country, he added.
During the raid, the FBR team confiscated machinery including two complete MK-8 cigarette manufacturing units, one HL-P cigarette packing unit, a box stamper machine, a bundle-making machine, a cellophane wrapping machine, and a used filter rod machine. The total value of the machinery is estimated to exceed Rs60 million. Additionally, large quantities of packing material and ready-made non-duty paid cigarettes were seized.
