KARACHI: The Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (IRS) has confirmed that imports made against switch bills of lading were by the bogus companies, who also claimed adjusted inadmissible input tax.

According to details, M/s AMI Pakistan Pvt Ltd is facing charges of importing banned goods by mis-declaring the port of origin and port of loading as well as claiming inadmissible FTA benefits on imports.

Sources said that it is a mega scam and on the directives of Director General Khawaja Tanvir, Intelligence & Investigation of IRS has also started investigating into this scam.

Director Aqeel Siddiqui has shared information with Pakistan Customs that one of the importer M/s Rose Impex, which imported goods against switch bill of lading was non-existent on its declared address.

AMI Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd has been booked for committing a fraud by issuing of switch Bills of Lading in connivance with several importers, clearing agents and got cleared different goods by mis-declaring the vital information with regard to the shipper’s name, port of loading, country of origin to claim inadmissible FTA benefit and clearing banned products.

M/s AMI Pakistan filed 277 import indices with MCC Appraisement West, 1152 indices with MCC Appraisement East, 1129 indices with MCC Port Qasim and 66 with MCC Lahore, 64 MCC Islamabad, 13 MCC Peshawar.

All the collectorates have confirmed that the indices mentioned above were not clean and manipulation had been done.

Sources said that criminal proceedings on dry ports are going to be initiated and more FIRs in this case are likely to be lodged in the near future. It may be mentioned here that 38 FIRs have already been lodged against M/s AMI Pakistan and others.

The investigations have reached an interesting turn as the M/s United Marine Shipping Agency has also reached the court defending allegations of switching bills of lading leveled by directors of M/s AMI Pakistan.