etting a non-customs-paid (NCP) vehicle at an affordable price is not a big deal. All you need are the right connections and big bucks — the kind that make the mare go.

Presently, scores of NCP vehicles are plying the city roads, despite the fact that campaigns have been launched from time to time by the concerned government departments to check their sale and purchase.

The question arises, as to how do the non-customs-paid vehicles easily make it into Lahore from, say, Afghanistan, via tribal areas and/ or Chaman in Balochistan, and avoid being caught by the law-enforcement agencies?

Since most of these luxury cars are smuggled from Afghanistan, you will find them near the Chaman border or in Swat. The fact remains that these (smuggled) cars are many times cheaper than their original market prices. No wonder they lure buyers.

That said, the sale and purchase of smuggled cars is illegal, and it can land you in prison. Yet, this does not seem to deter those involved in the shady business.

TNS has learnt that a non-customs-paid luxury car can be bought for the price of a normal customs-paid sedan. The same goes for non-customs-paid heavy bikes.

Another reason why some law abiding people end up purchasing these vehicles is that their sellers never disclose the fact that these are NCP. In fact, the sellers produce bogus registration documents and the buyer is duped. The sellers may also talk the buyer into believing that they are in need of urgent money and, therefore, they must sell off the vehicles.

Currently, there is no legal procedure to register an NCP car in Pakistan. There was a proposal to give amnesty to the people of federally administered tribal areas (FATA) after these were merged into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). In Malakand alone, over 500,000 NCP vehicles were said to be on the streets at one point. However, the proposal was rejected. In the past, the PPP government had introduced a month-long amnesty scheme that resulted in the registration of around 34,000 NCP vehicles. Later, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared the scheme illegal.

Another reason why some clean people end up purchasing these vehicles is that their sellers never disclose the fact that these are NCP. In fact, the sellers produce bogus registration documents and the buyer is duped.

The director general of Customs Intelligence, Saima Aftab, says that the reason why people are attracted to NCP vehicles is often the belief that they can get away with it. “There are areas in Pakistan where the writ of the state is weak,” she adds. “These are mostly border regions adjacent to Afghanistan and Iran. However, the government is now tightening the noose around those involved in the business.”

Aftab insists that it is nearly impossible to drive an NCP car in metropolitan cities like Lahore, as “you always fear being caught.”

Aftab, who claims to have busted several gangs involved in smuggling as well as selling NCP vehicles in the city, says that the departments of Customs, FBR and Excise and Taxation have online access to data on cars and motorbikes across Pakistan. “If you are stopped by the law enforcement personnel while driving an NCP car or bike, your vehicle can be confiscated.”

Quoting the apex court orders, she says, “If a person is caught with an NCP vehicle, an FIR must be registered against them. So, in addition to losing your vehicle, you can be jailed too.”

The DG CI offers a suggestion: “Before purchasing any imported vehicle, the people must verify the papers from the Customs Department. Getting clearance from the relevant department is very important.”

The people, according to Aftab, also need to “check the auction sheet in Pakistan when buying an imported car. The time you spend on verification today will save you from trouble tomorrow.”

It is also worth mentioning that those caught smuggling/ transporting the smuggled goods are fined 20 percent of the vehicle’s value for a first violation. The vehicles are also confiscated and auctioned.

About the modus operandi of the gangs, Aftab says they “usually get luxury vehicles registered with the Excise Department as per law, and no foul play is conducted at this stage. However, shortly after they have managed to get the number plates, they smuggle in some more vehicles by the same company and of the same colour, and display the same registered number on them.

“In order to ensure their hassle-free movement, they forge the numbers too. That’s how you sometimes see a number of vehicles carrying the same number plates.”

In this scenario, she says, it is “difficult to recognise the NCP vehicle. But thanks to the expertise and timely information the department [CI] receives, we have been successful in apprehending the culprits in the past.”

The writer is a senior journalist and can be reached at ahsanzia155@gmail.com