KARACHI: Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Appraisement-West Collector Muhammad Saleem has said that the Pakistan Customs authorities have suspended two laboratory officials, including a chemical examiner and an assistant chemical examiner, for their alleged involvement in patronising crook importers in importing banned antibiotic.
Collector Muhammad Saleem while talking to Customs Today said that the authorities concerned are investigating the matter thoroughly and during initial findings they found that the chemical examiner and assistant chemical examiner were involved in the case.
“During the investigation, it was found that one of the importers/clearing agents is an overseas Pakistani and living in China since long,” the collector added.
Collector Saleem disclosed that the AIB Section of the collectorate has registered an FIR against the importer Pure Enterprises for their involvement in importing the banned antibiotic from India.
Responding to a query, the collector said that investigation into the case is in progress and it will take time to reach any conclusion, as the main culprits were abroad.
Collector Saleem said that the value of scam could not be ascertained yet, as different medicines had been imported by unscrupulous elements during the period from 2012 to 2014.
It is pertinent to mention here that the authorities concerned of Appraisement-West and Appraisement-East have registered six FIRs altogether on the directives of the Appraisement-South chief collector against the importers/clearing agents who were involved in the clearance of banned antibiotics.
Sources informed that the authorities may involve customs officials concerned into the investigation in the upcoming days.
