KARACHI: Customs has detected huge evasion of anti-dumping duty, which a cartel of importers is evading on the import of tiles from China through mis-declaring the name of supplier.
National Tariff commission had imposed anti-dumping duty on wall/floor tiles originating in or exported from China in the range of 5.21 percent to 59.18 percent.
The shipments of tiles are routed from Dubai and the elements involved in the crime switched Bill of Lading declaring the name of supplier on which the anti-dumping duty is lowest. The rate of anti dumping duty is 5.21 percent on M/s Huida Sanitary Ware Company Limited and 6.82 percent on M/s Foshan Hexichuangzhan Ceramics Company Limited.
Most imports of tiles from China are being declared to be from these two suppliers. Interestingly, these two companies are not even aware that such large shipments are being made to Pakistan in their name. Actually these shipments are from Chinese companies on which the highest rate of anti-dumping duty is slapped.
Collector Appraisement East Ashad Jawad formed a team comprising Principal Appraiser Hamood-ur-Rehman, Preventive Officer Malak Hashim to investigate the case.
Collector Port Qasim Saeed Akram nominated Additional Collector Yasin Murtaza, Principal Appraiser Shahid Rizvi and Appraising Officer Aamir to expedite proceedings while Collector Appraisement West Shahnaz Maqbool nominated Additional Collector Sadia Sheraz to oversee the case.
Customs authorities initiated scrutiny of I-Forms (import forms) and it was revealed that payments against the tile imports were made to the suppliers having highest rate i.e. 59.18 percent of anti-dumping while in the Bills of Lading the suppliers were declared to be those having lowest rate of anti-dumping duty.
It may be mentioned here that certain importers have approached the Court challenging imposition of the anti-dumping duty. Meanwhile, Lahore high court has suspended the imposition of the anti-dumping duty.
Sources said the authorities have identified certain importers involved in the scam and soon there would be FIRs against them.