KARACHI: MCC Exports Bin Qasim has lodged an FIR against certain persons for misusing the EPZ facility for clearance of Indian origin banned goods as well as high value and high duty items under the garb of second hand clothing.
Information was passed through Collector MCC Exports Port Qasim Fawad Shah to Deputy Collector EPZ Lubna Shamshad that certain unscrupulous elements are planning to misuse the facility of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) through mis-declaration. Principal Appraiser Jawed Khalid mounted vigilance.
The information was specific in a way that attempt will be made to misuse the facility for clearance of Indian origin banned goods as well as high value and high duty items under the garb of second hand clothing.
Certain consignments were under observation and monitoring. Subsequently, the subject three containers said to contain secondhand/used clothing arrived at Karachi Port in the name of M/s. COASTEX Private Limited.
In order to fulfill the mandatory requirements for issuance of NOC from Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA), an on line application through Unique User ID of aforementioned investor at Karachi EPZ was filed and eventually required NOC was issued accordingly.
Deputy Collector EPZ Lubna Shamshad got the containers detained at the Port. Meanwhile, a letter was received from M/s. COASTEX Private Limited whereby they informed that their ID had been misused for issuance of NOC from EPZA and that they had no concern with the import of above mentioned three containers which allegedly contained Indian origin goods as well as high value goods. M/s Cargo Job, Clearing Agent, also reportedly disowned the containers.
Joint examination of the said containers led to recovery of artificial jewelry, painting markers, copper tube, cosmetics, cutch block, metallic yarn etc. Tthe recovered goods were re-stuffed in each container and all the three containers were re-sealed with Post Examination Seals. Subsequently, all the above mentioned three containers and goods re-stuffed therein were seized.
An official said the imported goods were to be replaced with used clothing, but the authorities caught it before the replacement.
An FIR is lodged against M/s COASTEX Private Limited, M/s Cargo Jobs, M/s Faiz Cargo (Pvt) Ltd, M/s AXL Container Line and two individuals named Saqib and Faraz. Further investigations are underway.