KARACHI: The unscrupulous elements continue to take the advantage of the systemic anomaly that transshipment consignments (TPs) would not be examined at the port of arrivals. The Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement-East has found a large quantity of bullet proof glass and other accessories, which were imported through mis-declaration.
According to the details, M/s M.A Land Transport Company, bonded carrier, filed two transshipments (TPs) destined to MCC-Peshawar for clearance of one used Toyota Land Cruiser (Prado) and one used Toyota Hilux Pickup.
The vehicles were brought in a container, at the time of destuffing of the said container, a large quantity of bullet-proof glass was found stuffed in seven wooden boxes, which were not declared in the Goods Declaration (GDs).
It may be mentioned were that bullet proof material cannot be imported without an NOC from the Ministry of Interior.
The recovered bullet-proof glass include various types including WS, QFR, QFL, Back Lite, FDR, FDL, RDR and RDL of different Toyota vehicles.
The Toyota Land Cruiser (Prado) was imported by Farooq Jan s/o Akram Jan of Swabi, and shipped by NASA Motors, UAE while Toyota Hilux Pick-up was imported by Zulfiqar s/o Haqdad of Swabi and shipped by NASA Motors, UAE.
The consignment also included tendance iron, Gazebo with cloth; trampoline with enclosure and accessories; aluminum pipes with mesh cloth and plastic coated cloth; trampoline combo set with clips and accessories; coil spring, shock absorber for Prado; loose 4 tyres with rims and loose bullet proof steel plates.
These goods were not declared but mentioned as boxes of illuminated glass. The importers have submitted an NOC in favor of Dr. Samir Khan Kabir for retrofitting/armoring of one vehicle into bullet-proof vehicle, but this NOC does not connect with the undeclared imports.
MCC Appraisement East has made the case and forwarded it to MCC Peshawar for further action as the TPs were destined to dry port Peshawar.
It may be mentioned here that there is a huge flaw in the system that the TPs destined for dry ports cannot be examined at the port of arrival including MCC-Appraisement East, West and Port Qasim. The consignments are examined at the destination dry ports.
Taking advantage of this systemic flaw, importers even import banned products and even contrabands, which are pilfered from the bonded carriers enroute to the destination dry ports.
Sources said that these elements opened the containers without breaking the seal and the originally imported goods were replaced with the declared goods and the weight of the consignment was matched.
Sources referred to several reports that a huge quantity of ‘not importable’ goods were so imported and pilfered in the country, which may be a reason for the extreme lawlessness and security situation in the country, and the practice still goes on.
Sources have suggested the authorities to address this flaw in the system and the Customs or the relevant agencies must not at the port of arrival that what has been imported and being moved to the dry ports of the country.
Import of un-declared bullet-proof glass detected; importers continue to take advantage of TP systemic anomaly
