KARACHI: The Directorate of Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) has made speedy progress in the case of pilferage off NATO/ISAF reverse cargo and has arrested two more persons, which are said to be important links of the entire chain involved in this organized crime.
ATT has arrested two persons including a broker of vehicles, Tikka Khan and a bonded carrier, Sohail of M/s Bilal Associates. Sources said the ATT team comprising Director General Khawar Fareed Manika and Director Wajid and Deputy Director Shoib Raza has made remarkable progress and have identified the locations where the pilfered goods are kept.
Sources said that the goods pilfered of NATO/ISAF cargo have been kept at various warehouses while the authorities have formed teams to raid these places.
It may be mentioned here that the Directorate General of Transit Trade has already lodged FIR pertaining to 21 containers of US Army reverse cargo, which were emptied in the country, drivers of 11 vehicles on which these containers were loaded have also been arrested.
DG Transit Trade Khawar Fareed Manika and Director Wajid Ali have advised the investigation team led by Deputy Director Shoib Raza to swiftly complete the investigations and bring the actual culprits to book.
Intelligence sources said this is a very organized ring comprising of elements reported to be M/s Security Packers, M/s Bilal Associates and some leading bonded carriers. Sources said they were, despite having bonded carrier license, using the name and license of a smaller bonded carrier M/s Port Connection.
The Customs General order (CGO)-10 suggests that only bonded carrier is responsible for any pilferage, which is a flaw and protects the culprits.
The most interesting is despite having this established that there has been a large-scale pilferage of NATO/ISAF, the US bases in Afghanistan have always issued Proof of Delivery (POD) certificate against each consignment. Proof of Delivery (POD) certifies that the goods were duly transported to the destination without any pilferage or leakage.
Sources said that this raises this question that whether the US is patronizing this organized crime which falls in the category of economic terrorism to hurt country’s economy.
Meanwhile, Director Wajid Ali has received another information that 14 containers filled with Red Bull energy drink, were emptied in Pakistan. These goods were being transported to Afghanistan under NATO cargo. An official said one container of the said energy drink invites duty/taxes of Rs8.0 million. There is this information that the arrested person Tikka Khan and company sold these energy drinks in Peshawar.