KARACHI: MCC Appraisement East has lodged an FIR against M/s Zulfiqar Traders to misdeclaring the description, quantity and imports of banned items in the garb of new and used miscellaneous items to evade duty and taxes. The accused namely Zulfiqar has been arrested.

Information was received through Collector Nadeem Memon to Deputy Collector Raza Naqvi about attempted evasion. A team comprising PA Saleem Qaemkhani, Senior Preventive Officer Malak Hashim, Adil Rasheed and sepoy Samar conducted examination of a consignment imported by M/s Zulfiqar Traders from Malaysia.[the_ad id=”31605″]The GD had declared the goods to be 1 lot old and used machinery valuing $9,000. However, the examination found the goods to be new speakers, new household scissors, new stainless steel nuts/bolts, stainless steel pipe fittings, artificial jewelry, used circuit breakers, used air compressors, used valves, used medical equipment and other goods worth $50,581. The recoverable amount of duty and taxes comes to Rs3.77 million.

Member Customs (operations) Owais Agha Jawwad has advised the field formations to keep strict vigilance on the attempted clearance of imported goods through mis-declaration and under-invoicing etc.

Member Customs also advised monitoring of transshipment cargo as there have been incidences of attempted TP cargo replacement. Only recently Collector Appraisement West Wajid Ali foiled one such attempt.

It may be mentioned here that certain elements are involved in cargo replacement of transshipment consignments. These importers declare the goods under vague descriptions and file TP for various dry ports. The high value and high tariff goods are then replaced during the transit with the connivance of bonded carriers

Collector Wajid Ali has reactivated the R&D section of MCC Appraisement West, and he is personally monitoring the activities of R&D.

Collector Wajid Ali is enforcing tighter controls on revenue evasion particularly through under invoicing and mis-declaration. He has directed the staff to be vigilant and keep watch so as to avoid misuse of green channel facility.