ISLAMABAD: In a major crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade, the Regional Tax Office (RTO) Abbottabad has seized a fully operational illegal cigarette manufacturing setup, including high-capacity MK-8 cigarette-making machines, a packing unit, stamping and bundle-making equipment, and substantial quantities of tow, packaging material, and non-duty-paid cigarettes.
The manufacturing facility was found running inside the hujra of a politically influential individual.
The machinery and illicit products have been confiscated, and legal proceedings have been initiated under the Federal Excise Act, 2005.
The successful enforcement action follows just a day after RTO Abbottabad intercepted 3,000 bales of raw tobacco in a separate intelligence-based operation, highlighting a coordinated and intensified crackdown on illegal tobacco manufacturing and smuggling in the region.
During the raid, enforcement teams discovered packaging materials belonging to a company which is already under investigation in a separate case being pursued by RTO Peshawar. The presence of these materials indicates linkages within the broader illicit manufacturing and distribution network.
