KARACHI: MCC Appraisement West has submitted the Challan before the Court pertaining to the mega-case of revenue evasion through mis-declaration of description, weight, quantity, value and origin.
Customs MCC Appraisement West had lodged an FIR against M/s. RIZ Green Industries, Waheed Anwar S/o. Muhammad Anwar and Raja Nusrat Nawaz S/o. Raja Rab Nawaz and Gulshad Ahmed S/o Abdul Hameed of M/s. Shafaay International for mis-declaration of description, weight, quantity, value and origin.
Waheed Anwar was arrested. During interrogation, he revealed that import order was placed by Umair Ashraf claiming to be owner of M/s Shuffs Logistics FZE Dubai, who acted as forwarding agent of the impugned consignment. Scrutiny of past records found Ihtisham and Umair Ashraf of M/s Shuffs Logistics were involved in illegal import of high tariff goods in the garb of used clothing from Jebel Ali to Karachi.
Furthermore, the accused claimed the consignment of tyre cutting was mis-directed to Iran. Prior to examination of the consignment, importers were motivated to get the goods released on the declared description on the basis of fake and fabricated documents and only after the consignment was examined and pre-determined scam was unearth, accused Waheed Anwar has taken plea of misdirection of the impugned consignment and its re-exportation with a view to minimize the gravity of offence.
According to sources, one Gulshad was arrested and got bail. He used to get the consignments examined. Another person Shakir is arrested and a 7-Day remand was obtained. He used to look after the delivery of imported consignments.
Furqan is the person identified as the link between the real owners of the goods and the Customs agent M/s Shafaay International. He is being traced so that actual culprits could be arrested. Moreover, transporter Haibat Khan Niaizi has become a witness in this case for Customs.
MCC Appraisement West has detected the largest mis-declaration in the history of Pakistan. Goods comprising Indian jewelry, high value electronics, Tablet PCs, electronic cigarettes, auto parts and other goods worth over Rs450 million have been seized.
According to details of the case, M/s Riz Green Industries vide GD No. 19880 dated 15-8-2022 imported a consignment comprising 10 containers through clearing agent M/s Shafaay International. The goods were declared to be scrap/shredded tyres. The consignment was imported from United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Information had already been passed through Collector Appraisement West Tahir Qureshi to Additional Collector Faisal Bukhari, Assistant Collector Salman Javed, Principal Appraiser Nadeem-ur-Rehman, Appraising Officer Naqeeb Ullah regarding attempts of clearing high value goods through mis-declaration.
The GD was processed under yellow channel, and on the instructions of Additional Collector Saad Rabbani and Deputy Collector Raza Naqvi, Assistant Collector Amin Khan marked the consignment for examination.
The examination of consignment found that only one container had scrap/shredded tyres, while rest of the nine containers held high-value and banned goods.
Former Collector Tahir Qureshi formed a three-member committee comprising AOs Khizar Khursheed , Mashallah Kahleem and Mujahid Iqbal to assist R&D team comprising Deputy Collector Faizan Badar, PA Muhammad Yasin, Muhammad Riaz, Taha Sheikh, Abid Sarfaraz in these investigations.
The newly posted Collector Appraisement West Sanaullah Abro and Chief Collector Ashad Jawwad have also been given the detailed briefing on the case. They are monitoring the day to day developments.
An official said it was a high profile case and threats and harassment was being faced by Customs officers and officials investigating.