FBR to launch crackdown on smuggled goods' sale on social media

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to launch a crackdown on marketers who are selling smuggled and non-custom-paid goods through social media platforms.

According to FBR sources, from January 1, tax authorities will begin monitoring social media accounts involved in the sale of smuggled goods and will compile detailed data on such sellers.

Tax officials will pose as customers to contact sellers, obtain their mobile numbers, and collect other identifying information to trace those involved.

FBR sources said that a wide range of smuggled items are being sold on social media, including electronics, household appliances, shoes and clothing, makeup products and tools, chocolates, toffees and chewing gum, blankets, bedsheets and carpets, tyres, auto parts and accessories, laptops, Chromebooks and computers.

Other items being marketed through various social media platforms include stoves, cooking ranges and ovens, crockery, juicers, choppers, dry fruits, canned foods, jams and jellies, olive oil, olives and other imported products, furniture, decorative items, tiles, sanitary fittings and related goods.

Sources added that sellers will be traced through their email addresses and mobile numbers, with assistance from NADRA to verify their identities. Notices will be issued, and enforcement teams will trace their shops and warehouses for further legal action.

In a statement, the FBR said it remains committed to strengthening enforcement through effective intelligence gathering and inter-agency coordination to curb smuggling and protect the national economy.

Earlier, the FBR had also decided to launch a nationwide crackdown on tax evaders who display extravagant lifestyles on social media.

The FBR’s Social Media Monitoring Team has already collected detailed information on individuals who showcase luxury lifestyles online but have failed to file income tax returns.