KARACHI: Customs Intelligence and Investigation Karachi (I&I Karachi) has served a Contravention Report against M/s IT Comm Pvt Ltd, a contractor of Punjab Government for mis-delaring description and classification of imported goods to evade government revenue.
The evaded amount of duty and taxes is calculated to the tune of Rs55.9 million on the imported goods worth Rs203.04 million.
Information was received through Director Khalil Yousafani to Additional Director Ghulam Nabi Kamboh and Deputy Director Tauseef Gorchani that M/s IT Comm (Private) Limited, Lahore through their clearing agent M/s Sandal Agencies is involved in evasion of duty and taxes by way of mis-declaration of physical description and PCT Heading of “Vehicle Printed Number Plates made of Aluminum” in the garb of vague description of “Aluminum Plates (Polyurethane Coated).
Superintendent R&A Farooq Ahmed and Appraising Officer Ilyas Gichki pursued the information and detected the fraud. Sources said the entire team was expecting an FIR against M/s IT Comm, but Director using his discretionary powers only served the contravention report.
The source identified one Goods Declaration, wherein the examination officer clearly identified the actual description of the goods and the assessing officer has assessed in correct description and PCT heading.
The GD was checked and in the light of it the past clearances were scrutinized. It has been found that the importer in connivance with their clearing agent has cleared Vehicle Number plates imported from Germany and declared vague description to get the goods cleared in incorrect PCT heading 7606.9190. The correct PCT heading is 7616.9990.
It was established the importer knowingly declared vague description and mis-declared physical description of the goods to evade government revenue to the tune of Rs55.9 million.
Sources said the importer M/s IT Comm is a contractor of Government of Punjab, and a habitual offender. It was known the importer attempted to get the goods cleared from MCC Lahore. But Chief Collector Faiz Ahmed passed the information to Collector Lahore Dr. Mubashir Baig, and the fraud was detected and MCC Lahore recovered Rs11.4 million, and stopped the clearance of the consignment.
Then M/s IT COMM tried to get the goods cleared from MCC Appraisement East Karachi. Collector Fayyaz Rasool also foiled the attempt, and a contravention was served on the importer.
Then, M/s IT Comm tried MCC Appraisement West and got the consignment cleared. However, Collector Tahir Qureshi also took action and has ordered to serve a Contravention on the importer. I&I Karachi got wind of the issue and served a Contravention on the importer.
It is interesting to note despite attempting fraud at three Customs stations, no FIR was lodged against him. Sources said it was a huge scam and was done by a Punjab government contractor, but Punjab government remained oblivion of the issue, or intentionally ignored it.
An official said the entire Pakistan Customs had been quite vigilant and active that such a consignment was detected and stopped at every Customs station.
Member Customs Tariq Huda has streamlined the affairs at Pakistan Customs and appointed highly competent and honest officers on sensitive positions.