KARACHI: MCC Preventive Karachi Port Control Unit (PCU) has blocked a container at West Wharf, which as per intelligence reports is stuffed with fireworks.
The said container imported by M/s A.D International was imported from China and destined to dry port Peshawar.
In the IGM, the container is declared to have containing sanitary fittings and tiles. However, Customs Preventive has quite reliable information that mis-declaration has been made in the IGM declaration.
Collector MCC Preventive Saifuddin Jenejo has approached Collector MCC Appraisement West Dr. Fareed Iqbal Qureshi suggesting a joint examination of the suspected container.
Sources said that this consignment was linked to the old fashioned transshipment (TP) cargo replacement scam. The container has been mis-declared in the IGM; the same is supposed to be pilfered during the transit and filled with low-value sanitary fittings and tiles.
It may be mentioned here that MCC Peshawar has already lodged an FIR and investigating import of fireworks through mis-declaration; MCC Appraisement West has also lodged an FIR against M/s Iqra International in a similar case and now another such container has been detected.
MCC Peshawar has also arrested Sajid and Nauman Gul in TP replacement case and details regarding the entire ring have been secured. Collector Peshawar nominated three IOs NAzim Shah, Mohammad Jamil and ARshad Hilali.
MCC Appraisement West has nominated Azhar Abbas as the IO and MCC Preventive has nominated Mohammad Akbar as the IO in this case. Shamim Akhtar of PCU is also on the case.
It is expected that a joint investigation team would be formed comprising investigation officers of MCC Preventive, MCC Peshawar and MCC Appraisement West to pursue the case and take the culprits to task for good.
It may be mentioned here that the TP replacement was underway for some time, but former Collector MCC Preventive Tariq Huda rooted out this practice; he even caught red-handed a TP containers being emptied.