KARACHI: Anti Smuggling Staff Organization (ASO) of MCC Preventive Karachi has lodged an FIR against the directors of M/s Digicom Trading (Pvt) Ltd for smuggling of contraband mobile phones/tablets through gross mis-declaration in the garb of LED lights/bulbs.
Addressing a press conference Collector Preventive Dr. Iftikhar informed that they had information that mobile phones would be smuggled from the port area in the garb of import of LED lights from MCC Appraisement West, Karachi by M/s Digicom Trading Pvt Led for ultimate transportation at Central Plaza sadder Karachi.
Dr. Iftikhar formed a team comprising Additional Collector Aamir Theim, Deputy Collector ASO Mohammad Faisal, SPS Khalid Tabassum, IPS Sardar Yusuf and Rana Zahid, PO Tayyab Khan and others to maintain vigilance on such import consignments.
Eventually, one container out of four containers was found in Saddar as the persons present their had escaped. Upon examination, container was found stuffed with mobile phones and tablets etc, while M/s Digicom had filed the GD on self basis through the green channel declaring the goods to be LED lights. Zeeshan Akhtar s/o Mian Pervaiz Akhtar filed the GD on self basis from his own ID is the main culprit involved in the scam along with others.
The value of seized goods is calculated at Rs285 million and the incidence of duty and taxes come to Rs104 million. FIR has been lodged and investigations are underway.
An official said big companies having good profile having green channel status were abusing this facility and causing huge losses to the national exchequer. It was learnt that smuggling and replacement of transshipment cargo had stopped as green channel facility had solved all the problems of unscrupulous elements.
Now, mobile phones, auto parts and electronics etc are being cleared from the green channel facility in the garb of zero rated and low value goods.