Senior Kandahar customs official arrested

KANDAHAR (Pajhwok): A senior customs department official in southern Kandahar province has been arrested over corruption charges.

The detainee served as director of administrative and mobile maintenance at the customs department of Kandahar.

Bahir Ahmad, the governor’s spokesman, identified the detainee to Pajhwok Afghan News as Azizullah accused of allowing vehicles illegally without paying customs duty.

He said Governor Rohullah Khanzada visited the customs department a few days back and as a result a number of employees were arrested over allowing vehicles to pass illegally.

He said the officers had been taking and pocketing money from vehicles instead of adding the sums to the government treasury.

According to him, based on the detainees’ confessions a number of other employees were identified involved in the corruption.

Bahir said once again the governor went to the customs department and arrested another employee following the confessions of the arrested customs officials.

He added that Azizullah, the administrative director of the customs department and the head of mobile surveillance, was complicit in the crime committed by the detained officials.

According to him, the governor met with traders at the customs department after the arrest of the official and asked them to cooperate with the government in curbing corruption.

Bahir quoted the governor as saying that he would not allow anyone to harass people and businessmen by misusing their position.

Sa/ma

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