PESHAWAR: Directorate of Transit Trade Peshawar has lodged an FIR against clearing agent M/s Integrated Services, bonded carrier M/s DND Pvt Ltd, M/s Shahid Ali Customs Agents for replacing the cargo of Afghanistan bound cargo during transit.
Brief fact of the case are that a container-laden vehicle carrying textile products for transit to Afghanistan entered in Custom Station Torkham premises, got the entry pass and then the consignment was weighted on the same day.
M/s. Shahid Ali Custom Clearance Agency Peshawar presented the GD for onward processing and for availability in WeBOC system.
Additional Director Muhammad Tayyab and Deputy Director Amanat Khan are pursuing the practice of examination on Risk Management Basis (RMS) of textile products at Transit Station Torkham.
Under the supervision of Assistant Director Muhammad Zahid, Superintendent Asim Zaman and Inspector Pervez Goraya conducted the examination. While cross matching of images as received from Directorate of Transit Trade Karachi it was observed that the goods are different and hence replaced during the journey en-route to Torkham.
The container along with vehicle was detained for thorough examination. Through examination, it was observed that the entire goods of textile/fabrics had been replaced with used clothing and artificial leather thus showing the pilferage of large quantity.
Bonded carrier is responsible for safe transportation of cargo and is to be held responsible for any loss or theft for whatever reasons has to pay the leviable duty/taxes as per ‘Undertaking’ submitted to the Customs at the time of gate-out in each and every case.
M/s. DND (Pvt) Ltd bonded carrier is responsible for all the actions / mis-deeds of the driver according to law contract as principle (bonded carrier) is responsible of all the action of his agent (employee / driver).
The accused bonded carrier and clearing agent caused huge revenue loss to the state through pilferage of transit goods amounting to value Rs. 28.79 million in violation of the existing law, therefore, the goods were seized accordingly and the accused are arrested.
An official said scanning and examination of transit trade consignments had been limited to a major extent due to the pressure of certain parliamentarians belonging to Baluchistan and KPK. Only a limited number of consignments are scanned, due to which smuggling under transit trade and replacement of cargo during transit is on the rise.