KARACHI: The Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Preventive has issued show cause notices to 12 shipping agents for allegedly importing cars in violation of SRO-1441(I)/2012.
According to details, the authorities concerned of the MCC Preventive, while following the directives of FTO, have served show cause notices on 12 shipping agents in which they demanded relevant documents including Bill of Lading (B/L), IGM and Master Bill of Lading (M/L) from the shipping agents in order to check the genuineness of the aforementioned documents.
The sources informed Customs Today that the authorities after issuance of show cause notices to the shipping agents are now investigating the authenticity of the documents provided by shipping agents in importation of out of age limit cars.
“The documents of 10 out of 12 shipping agents have been received in the law department of MCC Preventive while scrutiny of the provided documents is being continued which will take at least 15 to 20days”, sources added.
The Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Appraisement (West) has already issued show cause notices (SCNs) against 37 clearing agents in their alleged involvement in infringement of age limit for importation of cars prescribed vide SRO 1441(I)/2012 and violated the provision of Section 208 and 209 of Customs Act, 1969, read with Rule 101 and 102 of the Customs Rules, 2001.
The show cause notices were issued from the Office of the Additional Collector (ADC)-I of Customs, Licensing Authority Appraisement (West).
It was found that the dates mentioned on Bill of Lading (BoL) were not correct as the actual dates of Master Bills of Lading were quite different. The investigation conducted by the honorable FTO revealed that the clearing agents have manipulated the dates of bills of lading to get the reduction in age limit, within the parameters prescribed in SRO 1441(I)/2012, which otherwise was not available to those cars.
The Honorable FTO in his findings in FTO Review Petition No. 48/2013 in Complaint No 17/KPK/CUS(03)/497/2013 vide order has recommended that “The FBR to fix responsibility of clearing agents and shipping agents for manipulating the dates of B/Ls after providing them opportunity of explaining their conduct in this case”.
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