FBR Revokes All Powers of Customs Intelligence and Investigations Directorate

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has rescinded all Customs General Orders and instructions or directions pertaining to functions and jurisdiction of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigations (Customs). According to the CGO issued by the FBR, the Federal Board of Revenue, in the exercise of powers conferred under section 223 of the Customs Act, 1969, has rescinded the Customs General Orders No. 05 of 2012 dated the 27″ March, 2012, No. 01 of 2015 dated the 28th May, 2015. FBR has also rescinded any other instructions or directions issued by the Board or any other authority subordinate to the Board in relation to functions and jurisdiction of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigations (Customs). The new role and functions of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs), and its regional Directorates has been notified through a notification issued on Friday. The new structure and layout of the agency revealed that Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs) shall be based at Islamabad. The Directorate General shall have its Headquarters at Islamabad, including office of the Director (Headquarters), and shall have its regional Directorates at Peshawar, Lahore, Karachi and Quetta. The Director General shall report to the Member Customs (Operations), Federal Board of Revenue, Islamabad. The Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs) (Headquarters) and the regional Directorates of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs) shall be headed by Directors and assisted by Additional Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, Principal Appraisers, Superintendents, Appraising Officers, Intelligence Officers, or officers and officials within other designation, as are required. The Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs) shall be responsible to carry out functions including intelligence gathering and collection of information regarding evasion of duties or taxes related to imports, exports, concessionary schemes etc., to be shared with the Board and the concerned field formations through intelligence alerts. It would be responsible for intelligence gathering and collection of information regarding smuggling, its trends, modus operandi, beneficiaries, facilitators etc., to be shared with the Board and the concerned field formations through intelligence alerts; to carry out trade data analysis utilising advanced data analytics, data mining, machine learning etc. and to conduct human intelligence through non-intrusive and clandestine methods. The agency will examine and analyse trade, revenue, or any other economic data to identify patterns of organized duty or tax fraud and inform the Board and concerned field formations and sparingly carry out targeted operations duly authorized by Member Customs (Operations). The powers of section 26 of the Customs Act, 1969 shall only be exercised in cases related to offences under Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010 only by the Director General, Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs). It will carry out functions related to Anti Money Laundering Act, 2010; liaison with international agencies; liaison with other agencies and National Targeting Centre.