KARACHI: MCC Exports Port Qasim has lodged an FIR against several persons for smuggling imported goods from Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) into tariff area without payment of duties and taxes.

Information was passed through Collector Fawad Ali Shah that units in the KEPZ were involved in in smuggling of imported goods into tariff area without payment of duties and taxes.

Fawad Ali Shah advised to Deputy collector Amjad Leghari to conduct an audit of the imports, exports and existing inventory of industrial units in KEPZ.

During the audit of M/s Union Enterprise it transpired that the unit was out of manufacturing operations for last many months. The investor i.e. M/s Union Enterprise was issued several notices but the company did not appear for audit and provided incomplete records.

After giving the accused final notice, the staff of MCC Exports Port Qasim reached the unit of M/s Union Enterprise for stocktaking/physical verification of the goods. The data of the unit was also sought from M/s PRAL for the last calendar year 2020.

The comparison of the inventory present at the premises and imports by M/s Union Enterprise found that a huge quantity of goods including 80 tons polyester embroidered ladies net suiting fabric, 26.3 tons polyester velvet suiting fabric, 24.8 tons of textile taffeta lining material, 28 tons of polyester furnishing curtain fabric, 18.7 tons of polyester dyed ladies chiffon fabric and 49 tons of polyester ladies woven fabric was unaccounted for.

It is pertinent to mention here that the investor has exported abroad certain goods i.e Garment Gowns, Jeans garments, Disposable table cover, Disposable Gowns, Men’s T-shirts and Hoodies total weighing 10.78 tons but these goods are not made up from the goods imported in last calendar year 2020.

It has been established that the investor M/s Union Enterprise smuggled a huge quantity of the imported high value goods to tariff area causing depriving national exchequer of its legitimate revenue amounting Rs 208.66 million.

An FIR is lodged against Akhtar Jameel Rehmani of M/s Union Enterprise and others and investigations are underway.

An official said audit of many other KEPZ investors was underway and several FIRs are likely to be lodged against many other KEPZ investors for similar frauds.

The official said the misuse of KEPZ had been causing serious loss to the government’s revenue as well as country’s economy. Official said KEPZ officers and investors were equally involved in all those wrong doings.

It may be recalled Customs Intelligence and Investigation Karachi has lodged an FIR against Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Investor and others for importing banned items in the garb of goods meant for EPZ, and then disposing the smuggled goods during the transit.

On the directives of Additional Director Rana Tasleem, Deputy Director Tauseef Gorchani formed a team of ASO led by Muhammad Sadiq, which tracked the container laden vehicle at the warehouse of in SITE Area Karachi. The goods in the container were being replaced.