KARACHI: The Collector Customs Adjudication Chaudry Muhammad Jawaid in an ex-parte decision has ordered confiscation of a consignment of fireworks/fire crackers arrived from China and also imposed a penalty of Rs2.0 million on M/s Nizami Traders, the consignee of these goods.

According to details of the case, in pursuance of information, Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation-Peshawar had intercepted and seized a consignment of firecrackers. An FIR was also lodged by the said Directorate at Peshawar.

Subsequently, the source had given a tip of regarding dispatch of another such consignment from China. The preliminary investigations revealed that a container said to contain 857 cartons kitchenware imported in the name of M/s. Nizami Traders, Rawalpindi and M/s. Nizami Traders, Peshawar was lying at PICT unattended since its arrival. In order to verify veracity of the information, the container was detained and since no Goods Declaration had been filed despite lapse of over a month’s time, it was examined and found to be 10986 cartons of dangerous fireworks/fire crackers.

The Adjudication was informed that despite all attempts no one from M/s Nizami Traders Rawalpindi and M/s Nizami Traders Peshawar could be contacted.

The Collector Adjudication observed that importing fireworks/fire-crackers was banned and hence the charges were established against the importer. However, since no one had appeared for the defense, Chaudry Muhammad Jawaid gave an ex-parte decision and ordered confiscation of the goods along with a penalty of Rs2.0 million on the importer.