KARACHI: Directorate General of Transit Trade has seized 500 containers of sugar, which came from India for onward transit to Afghanistan, as it was found to be expired and unfit for human consumption.
Information was received through Director Transit Trade Zeba Azhar regarding arrival of sub-standard sugar from India shipped by M/s Garden Court Distilleries Pvt Ltd. Subsequently, Deputy Collector Examination Iqbal Memon examined the goods at South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT) and suspected the same to be expired on the basis of their brownish color and other physical attributes.
A sample of the goods was sent to Customs lab for necessary testing and the test report confirmed the goods to be unfit for human consumption. The sugar has been seized and samples have been sent to other laboratories for further analysis.
The consignment comprising 500 containers was imported by M/s Farid Asif Limited under Afghan Transit Trade (ATT). M/s E-Mover is the clearing agent and bonded carrier responsible for transportation of the goods to Afghanistan.
It may be mentioned here that M/s E-Mover comes with a shady record as the company is nominated in several FIRs for smuggling, pilferage of transit cargo. Mansoor Sheikh, brother of a senior Customs Officer, used to be the director of M/s E-Mover. After lodging of FIRs against M/s E-Mover, Mansoor Sheikh sought to step-down from the directorship of M/s E-Mover, but Principal Appraiser Law Ilyas Ahsan marked this application noting that Mansoor Sheikh could not leave the directorship of M/s E-Mover until the FIRs against the company were settled. Then Collector MCC Appraisement West Shahnaz Maqbool had endorsed the remarks of Ilyas Ahsan. However, Chief Collector South through then Additional Collector managed removal of Mansoor Sheikh’s name from directorship of E-Mover.
Directorate of Transit Trade has issued an Assessment Alert advising all Deputy Directors and staff posted in Examination and A&P to ensure proper examination and lab tests in case of all suspicious sugar consignment to thwart any attempt of expired goods.
It may be recalled that two years ago, India shipped large quantity of fungus inflicted wheat as aid for Afghanistan.