Pakistan Customs detains three oil tankers carrying 20,000 litres of fuel over tracking discrepancies

Pakistan Customs has held three oil tankers carrying roughly 20,000 litres of petrol and HSD, with a combined case value estimated at Rs40 million, in separate anti-smuggling operations in Hyderabad. Citing an official statement issued on Monday, Profit reported that the Collectorate of Customs Enforcement Hyderabad acted after checking the vehicles against the tracking application run by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).

The tankers were held because their records were not visible on the OGRA portal, which raised doubts about how their routes had been verified. Officials also noted unexplained delays in transit, seals that appeared to have been broken or tampered with, and mismatches between the consignees named on delivery invoices and the places where the fuel was unloaded. All three consignments are being examined further, and the cases remain open to verification and legal steps under the relevant laws.

Customs said the digital system keeps watch over shipments of petroleum and lubricants, checks transport paperwork and flags suspicious movements. The application has also sharpened field surveillance, letting enforcement teams compare shipment records with actual deliveries. It said it will persist with data-led checks and targeted enforcement to curb fuel smuggling and enforce transport and documentation rules.