KARACHI: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested Kashif and Hera in relation to the import and fraudulent clearance of betel nut and other high value goods in the garb of used clothing and scrap through green channel.

Directorate of Customs Intelligence & Investigation (Enforcement) has booked several persons including M/s Khurram Iqbal of M/s Khurram Steel Mills and Malik Jamshed Javed of M/s Orient Enterprises for smuggling contraband and miscellaneous goods in the garb of iron/steel re-melt-able scrap. Arrest of Kashif and Hera are in this connection.

The accused in collusion with their other accomplices are involved in fraudulent clearance of fabric, mobiles accessories and other dutiable goods in the garb of import of iron/steel re-melt-able scrap, from MCC Port Qasim inflicting colossal revenue loss to the public exchequer.

Staff of Directorate General, Intelligence and Investigation-FBR, (Customs Enforcement), Karachi kept vigilance watch on the consignments being imported by the above named importers.

The consignments were blocked online and the physical examination found the consignment consisting of polyester ladies grey fabric, cosmetics, mobile chargers, auto parts, hair preparations, hair spray and calculators instead of scrap.

Sources said there is a group of people including Kashif, Hera, Aslam aini, Imran Khan, Moez Bhawany and their associates.

These people are involved in a long range of frauds and crimes such as mis-declaration, transshipment cargo replacement, fraudulent clearance of seized and confiscated containers etc.

It is a very powerful cartel that no action is taken against them, while scrap and used clothing were put on green channel to benefit these people.

Sources said it was planned for the scam that these goods were added to green channel, although green channel facility is originally for multinationals and high profile companies but the facility was granted to certain elements just after clearance of few consignments.

Moreover, senior officers in Customs and PRAL have been supporting and facilitating these people.

The replacement and fraudulent clearance of seized and confiscated containers at AICT, KICT, PICT etc may be the largest scam in the history of customs, which needs to be investigated properly.