KARACHI: Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Directorate of Customs Intelligence & Investigation Karachi has detected a mega scam running in billions of rupees. One Muhammad Abdullah, owner of M/s Cosmos Trading Development, has also been identified as master mind of the detected mega scam.
As already substantiated through concrete material evidence by SIU before the concerned forums including the Sindh High Court, the accused cartel members have committed fiscal fraud involving un-authorized flight of precious foreign exchange from Pakistan under the garb of imports of steel sheets into Pakistan, smuggling of Pakistani owned goods to KEPZ and evasion of huge amount of government revenue through gross mis-declaration also misusing facility of duties/taxes’ exemption under the garb of manufacturing of finished goods.
In order to avoid removal of the case property from KEPZ without requisite legal action, SIU had detained all the imported consignments of steel sheets lying in KEPZ units of M/s Royal lmpex (Pvt) Ltd; KEPZ and M/s Steel Vision (Pvt) Ltd; KEPZ.
Despite filing of repeated constitution petitions and lengthy proceedings of more than 11 months in the Sindh High Court, the cartel members could neither prove their innocence nor could convince the Court for release of the detained cargo. The accused have also been involved in illegal removal of steel sheets under detention at KEPZ. Recently, 500kg of steel sheets were intercepted, which the accused were trying to illegally remove from KEPZ in a Toyota Vigo vehicle registered in the name of M/s Cosmos Trading Development.
SIU has advised KEPZ to provide detailed particulars of the relevant consignment(s) of which the recovered steel sheets are integral part, besides supplying certified copies of complete set of relevant import documents thereof.
SIU has also sought soft as well as hard copies of the complete CCTV footage of the Customs Check Port-KEPZ/place of interception as well as both the KEPZ units referred to above; detailed particulars of the concerned persons and contact details thereof found inside the intercepted vehicle at the time of interception at the Customs Check Post-KEPZ; Detailed particulars and contact details of the concerned officers & staff of KEPZ, MCC-Preventive and MCC-Exports (PMBQ) along with their role who took part in the above mentioned interception and/or processing or the matter.
SIU of Customs Intelligence & Investigation Karachi has also sought detailed inventory of all the imported cargo presently lying inside KEPZ in the names of the above mentioned KEPZ units. The inventory must include therein complete details of the relevant import GDs and commercial invoices etc; and accompanied with the relevant import documents as well.
Complete details and documentary evidence of the cargo illegally removed by the culprits from KEPZ so far without due process of law. Detailed report incorporating therein outcome of the inquiry made by MCC-Exports (PMBQ) into the under reference matter, if conducted. Reasons for failure of KEPZA’s staff in security of the cargo lawfully detained by the Directorate.
Sources said the KEPZ staff was protecting the culprits and creating hurdles in the investigations. Sources said it seemed the KEPZ staff was equally involved in the scam, as the CCTV footage provided was blurred despite the fact that the entire zone is fitted with high quality cameras.