KARACHI: The investigations into the fraudulent imports of pharmaceutical raw material have found that scores of pharmaceutical companies operating in Pakistan are procuring such unregulated chemicals from undocumented sources.
Collector MCC Appraisement East, Majid Yousafani has planned to approach Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) against the conduct of these pharmaceutical companies, which warrants prompt action.
Majid Yousafani has appreciated Principal Appraiser Ibrahim Khan and Investigating Officer Ashfaq-ur-Rehman for making fast progress on the case.
MCC Appraisement East has already to companies namely M/s Pure Enterprises and M/s Cemi Zone for importing chemicals under vague descriptions and mis-declaration to circumvent the application of Import Policy Order.
The investigations into the case led to one Mohammad Ali Chandna of M/s Pure Enterprises who is the prime suspect managing the entire ordeal.
The modus operandi for this organized crime was that importer used to surrender the original bill of lading at the port of shipment and delivery orders were managed via e-mail instruction from the principal with the instruction that original bill of lading has been surrendered and delivery may be given without presentation of the same.
In view of evidence on record, it is evident that M/s. Cemi Zone, Karachi with active connivance of master mind Muhammad Ali Chandna of M/s. Pure Enterprises has made deliberate attempt to import banned pharmaceutical raw material under the guise of SDO/ACJC Preservatives and thereby caused huge revenue losses to the exchequer beside importing the banned material.
Investigations and perusal of records find that a number of pharmaceutical companies had transferred funds into the account of Mohammad Chandna, as these companies are actually the buyer of commodity illegally imported by the accused.
These companies include M/s Ali Baba Chemicals, M/s Attabak Pharmaceutical Industries, M/s Batala Pharmaceuticals, M/s Delta Pharma, M/s Eterna International, M/s Farmaceutics International, M/s Fedro Pharmaceutical Lab (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Gillman Pharmaceuticals, M/s Glitz Pharma, M/s Hassan Pharmaceutical, M/s I.S. Enterprises, M/s ICI Pakistan, M/s Inshal Pharmaceutical Indus, M/s Linear Pharma, M/s M & B Pharma, M/s M.A Chemicals, M/s Aamir Pharma, M/s Medicina Corporation, M/s Paramount Pharmaceutical, M/s Pharma Wise Lab, M/s Pharmaceutics International, M/s Pharmalink, M/s Rakaposhi Pharmaceutical, M/s Reliance Pharma, M/s Shaheen Pharmaceuticals, M/s Shifa Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd, M/s Standpharma Pakistan, M/s Swat Pharmaceuticals, M/s Sydon Pharmaceuticals “Dyson” and M/s Wimits Pharmaceuticals.
Meanwhile, MCC Appraisement East has served a final notice on Umer Farooq of M/s Convell Laboratories to join the investigations as Umer Farooq has been found to actively abetted with Mohammad Ali Chandna.
However, Sindh High Court has granted interim pre-arrest bail to Mohammad Ali Chandna and suspended the non-bail-able warrants issued by the trial court.