Customs calls for inquiry against Plant Protection Department on issuing release orders for unhygienic wheat
KARACHI: Through extra alertness of Model Customs Collectorate-Appraisement (East) officials, the department succeeded in snitching a wheat consignment consisting of 17×20’ containers (419.56MT) imported by M/s. Thara International from Ukraine vide B/L No. MSCU02386503 dated 17-09-2014 which was not fit for human consumption.
A contravention report has been forwarded to the customs adjudication for further inquiry.
According to the details, the above stated consignment was kept lying at port for about five months seeking release order from Department of Plant Protection. All of a sudden, the department issued release order bearing No. ROS 5160/14-15 dated April 08, 2015 stating therein that “the goods were found apparently free from injurious insects and diseases. The container may now be released to the consignee.” Based on this, the importer filed goods declaration bearing No.KAPE-HC-123536 dated April 08, 2015 and sought clearance of the consignment.
However, the consignment was selected for examination by customs. On approval of examination request from the appraising officer, the system randomly marked two containers to the examination staff. Physical inspection revealed that some portion of wheat was blackish and smelly.
Therefore, four more containers were randomly selected for examination. It was found that the wheat in those four containers was also in bad condition and infected. Resultantly, representative samples were forwarded to HEJ Laboratory to ascertain the condition of wheat and fitness for human consumption.
The HEJ Laboratories vide their reports dated April 23, 2015 has intimated that “the wheat is found high microbial load and also damaged by insects. Therefore, it is unfit for human consumption.”
Keeping in view the MCC-East has also called for an enquiry as to how the release order was issued by the Department of Plant and Protection for the wheat which is not fit for human consumption.
Meanwhile, MCC Appraisement-East Collector Manzoor Memon has commended the working and alertness of the appraisement staff for not only detecting the large quantity of damaged wheat which was unfit for human consumption but also saved a large number of people from major diseases.
