KARACHI: The Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) of MCC Port Qasim has detected 11 cases of mis-declaration of description/weight, which would result in additional revenue on account of detection to the tune of Rs79.45 million.
According to the details of the case, upon receipt of a credible information through Collector, MCC Port Qasim, that some unscrupulous persons are trying to evade duty/taxes by filling transport shipment (TPs) on wrong description/classifications and clearing the goods at destination Collectorate in connivance with their clearing agent/bonded carrier on payment of duty/taxes at declared description/classification, therefore, TP consignments were intercepted by CIU.
The goods were examined by CIU staff in presence of importers’ representatives, which disclosed mis-declaration of descriptions and weights.
The examination reports along with approximate duty/taxes calculated were forwarded to destination Collectorate for appropriate action.
The above mentioned consignments were importer by M/s Wahab International, M/s Atta Enterprises, M/s Majeed Motors, M/s Hassan Agencies, M/s Awan Enterprises, M/s Al-Hamra International, M/s Uzair Enterprises, Moeed Enterprises, Rana Brothers and Ahmed Traders.
It was known that some importers managed to make changes in the weight and description of the consignment even before the arrival of the vessel against a fee of Rs250. These consignments are bound to dry ports and during the transit the containers are opened without breaking the seal and the goods are removed and some other goods having lesser duty or no duty were put in to match the weight.
The Customs has held bonded carriers responsible for this pilferage to which the bonded carriers have reacted sharply. They are of the view that the drivers of the vehicles should also be taken into investigation, which presently are not interrogated, to discover the entire ordeal.
The bonded carriers are of the view that mostly the drivers of the vehicles made nexus with unscrupulous elements without the knowledge of the bonded carriers.