KARACHI: MCC Appraisement East lodged an FIR against Muhammad Akif and owners of M/s Hands Industries involved in revenue evasion through misuse of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) facility and obtained 4-day remand of Muhammad Akif from the court.
R&D Appraisement East had also arrested Fahad Ryder and Hammal Baloch in this case, however they could obtain their remand, and these two accused were dispatched for jail custody by the court.
According to details of the case, information was received in R&D Section that M/s Hands Industries, KEPZ had filed a GD destined for KEPZ, whereby they had imported a consignment of ‘betel nut’ by mis-declaring the same as mixed used clothes from UAE. The importers mis-declared the goods to circumvent the provisions of Import Policy Order and evade government’s legitimate revenue.
Preliminary inquiry found that the importers do not have a valid import permit, valid phytosanitary certificate and release order of the Department of Plant Protection to import the recovered betel nut. On the contrary, the importers tried to get clearance of the restricted item through mis-declaration.
It was known that the importers and their associates were trying to get the actually imported goods illegally replaced with the ones falsely declared in the relevant GD to camouflage the concerned Customs functionaries.
Muhammad Akif was identified as the main accused actively involved in importing and trying to get clearance of the contraband items including betel nut, cigarettes and flavored tobacco through mis-declaration and then removing the same in duplicate containers to the local market from Export Processing Zone.
Chief Collectors Abdul Rasheed Shaikh has formed an Appraisement Team comprising Principal Appraiser Dost Muhammad, Senior Preventive Officer Malak Hashim, Appraising Officers Ashfaq-ur-Rehman, Muhammad Bilal, Muhammad Aamir, Jawaid Khan; while Chief Collector Enforcement Manzoor Memon has formed a Preventive team comprising Deputy Collector Muhammad Faisal and Intelligence Officer Mehdi to jointly investigate and pursue the case.
Collector Appraisement East Saeed Akram is personally monitoring the case.
It was learnt that the said cartel comprised of over a dozen persons who imported tobacco, flavored tobacco and betel nut for EPZ and then these goods were pilfered into local market. More arrests are expected in a couple of days.