FAISALABAD: Customs Adjudication Collector Raja Tahir Majeed has issued an Order-in-Original (ONO) in favour of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation and ordered to confiscate the recovered items.
As per details, Customs Intelligence received information through Customs Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO) deputy collector that a huge quantity of smuggled foreign origin goods is being transported from Lahore to Faisalabad.
Following the information, a joint team of Customs Intelligence and ASO held a check post near Guttwala Toll Plaza, Faisalabad, and intercepted a Mazda Mini Truck bearing Registration No LES-11-6067.
The customs staff found cigarettes of different brands such as Marlboro, Akhtamar, Zumerret, Zen Blue, London, Texas, Indian gutka, Tara Filter Khaini, playing cards, curtain cloth, velvet cloth, aluminum foil and cigarette lighters from the truck.
On demand, the driver of vehicle named Tanveer Ahmed could not produce any documentary evidence regarding lawful possession and legal import of the said goods; therefore, the recovered foreign origin goods and vehicle were taken into custody. The officials also found the said vehicle as smuggled one, as it was being used with bogus chassis number.
Meanwhile, accused persons named Ehsan Karim claimant of seized aluminium foil rolls, Zohaib claimant of seized cigarette lighter, Mohammad Irfan and Nazar Mohammed Khan claimant of seized cloth appeared before the authority and asked for release of the items on the payment of leviable duty/taxes thereon.
While Intelligence Officer Abdul Jabbar appeared from the Prosecution side and asserted that the seized vehicle and goods fell under the ambit of section 2(s), of the Customs Act, 1969.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the collector ordered to impound the vehicle and goods under Section 156(1)89(1) of the Customs Act, 1969.
