KARACHI: A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Muhammad Ahsan of M/s Sami Traders, along with several accomplices, following allegations of misdeclaring goods and submitting fake documents during the clearance process. The accused are also implicated in the en-route pilferage of a container during inter-port movement.
Information was passed through Director I&I Engineer Habib to Additional Director Afzaal Wattoo pointing to the involvement of M/s Sami Traders in the misdeclaration of high-value goods under the false guise of low-value items, specifically Cat Litter. The modus operandi allegedly includes pilfering transit goods en route from Sea Port Terminals to Bahria OFF Dock Terminal (ODT).
Deputy Director formed a team comprising Superintendent Irshad Shah and AO Asad Shabbir. Upon conducting an in-depth inquiry and scrutinizing import data, it was discovered that a total of 40 consignments, all bearing the same description, had been cleared from Bahria ODT after transiting through SAPT, PICT, and KlCT. Notably, the average time taken for these consignments to travel from the sea port to Bahria ODT exceeded 10 hours, a stark contrast to the actual travel time of no more than 2 hours between these points.
Further intensifying the investigation, an unclaimed container belonging to the same importer was examined at SAPT with the approval of Chief Collector Appraisement (South) Karachi. While the manifested declaration indicated Cat Litter Sand, the container, upon examination, was found to be laden with expensive items. The FIR reflects the gravity of the allegations and signals a concerted effort by authorities to clamp down on smuggling activities involving misdeclaration and pilferage.