Burning of nearly 1,000 tonnes of smuggled goods begins in Kandahar — Pajhwok

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): The burning of nearly 1,000 tonnes of smuggled medicines, shampoos, creams and fashion-related products seized by Kandahar Customs over the past 18 months has begun. Kandahar Customs Director Mawlawi Mansoorul Haq Zakir told reporters on Monday that the goods had been illegally brought into Afghanistan from Pakistan, adding that most of the medicines were substandard or expired. He said the quality of some of the products had deteriorated during transportation and smuggling. According to Zakir, around 30 large companies and hundreds of individuals were involved in smuggling the goods. Meanwhile, Kandahar Information and Culture Director Mawlawi Inamullah Samangani said the government had previously avoided taking strict measures in this regard to prevent difficulties for the public. However, he said, the import of such goods would no longer be permitted. He added that the move was aimed at protecting public health and preventing potential harm caused by the use of substandard and expired medicines and other products.