KARACHI: MCC Preventive, Karachi has served two contravention reports on M/s Novartis Pharma Pakistan Ltd for claiming inadmissible exemptions on the import of medicine from Switzerland thus evading government’s legitimate revenue to the tune of Rs14.75 million.

The short paid amount has been recovered.

According to details, M/s Novartis imported consignments of “Medicine named TASIGNA from Switzerland which arrived at Karachi Airport and filed GD through their authorized clearing agent, M/s Ahmed Enterprises after claiming the benefit of 5th Schedule. The importer availed Green Channel facility and got clearance of the goods as per the Declaration.

On the directives of Additional Collector Nadeem Ahsan, a team headed by Deputy Collector Naveed Abbas Memon and comprising Principal Appraiser Naimatullah Alvi and Appraising Officer Tariq Aziz conducted post clearance scrutiny and found that the exemptions had been wrongly claimed causing a loss of Rs14.75 million to the exchequer.

The contravention report established that M/s Novartis Pharma and their clearing agent M/s Ahmed Enterprises knowingly and deliberately misused the green channel facility and claimed inadmissible benefit.

The contravention reports are forwarded for adjudication.