RAWALPINDI, Jan 27: Collector Customs Rawalpindi Nadir Khan Hoti has said no such case involving smuggling of ‘nuclear material’ or any other contraband has come to light so far as the customs staff had been directed to keep vigil on illicit trade.

The Customs Rawalpindi has been facing a shortfall of Rs100 million due to less imports from China and other economic conditions.

However, he believed that the customs department would achieve the target.“We would achieve the revenue target as we are near to it,” Mr Hoti said, adding that “the customs staff has been directed to be vigilant on smuggling of nuclear material or any other contraband but no such case has come to light so far.”

The collector customs was talking to mediapersons after the ceremony held to destroy large quantity of liquor and contraband.

About 14,063 bottles of liquor and packs of contraband and alcoholic beverages were destroyed by the customs department at Islamabad dry port on Monday.

Nadir Khan Hoti said the beverages, consisting of 5,500 cans of beer, 8,500 bottles of liquor and 63 consignments of expired foodstuff, medicines and chemicals were seized during various operations in the last fiscal year.

However, the setting ablaze of narcotics seized by the customs staff was postponed due to environmental hazard.

Later certificates and shields were distributed among the customs officers and officials for their best performance.

Drug liaison officers of the British High Commission and UAE embassy in Islamabad, Ramzan Bhatti, member services tribunal; former CBR chairman, Mian Nazir Azhar, and ex-member Naseer Ahmed were also present on the occasion.