ISLAMABAD: Deputy Collector Customs Adjudication Islamabad Dr. Wajid Ali in a seizure case No: 2/2017 has passed an Order-In-Original and ordered the confiscation of the foreign origin non-duty-paid smuggling cloth and release of the black tea and GDLN MH-T E40 Blended Lamps and Yeast along with an offending vehicle Isuzu bus on the payment of duties and taxes levied thereon.
The raiding party set up a picket at G.T Road Taxila. On 04.07.2017 at about 1400 hours, the tipped-off vehicle was sighted coming from Peshawar side which was signaled to stop. A thorough search of the aforementioned vehicle led to the recovery of smuggling items including cloth and black tea.
The driver of the vehicle and owners of the goods, identified as Waras Khan S/o Samandar Khan (Driver), Saddaqat W/o Maskeen Khan, Moman Khan S/o Zafar Khan and Tariq, failed to prove anything legal. So goods were seized under section 168 of the Customs Act 1969. The said Isuzu bus was also impounded for action under section 157 ibid.
Saddaqat Bibi W/o Maskeen Khan, claimant of cloth, submitted an application wherein she stated that she is not able to pay the leviable duties and taxes on her cloth. Deputy Collector Dr. Wajid came to the conclusion that the seized items were brought into the country without payment of duties and taxes leviable thereon.
The confiscated goods GDLN MH-T E40 Blended Lamps and Yeast in the instant case fall under the category of non-notified items and being non-notified items, an option is granted to the rightful owners to redeem the same on the payment of duties and taxes leviable thereon plus a redemption fine equivalent to 20%. The seized cloth is also non-dutiable and taxable paid as respondents through a written application also request that they are not able to pay duties and taxes.
I therefore order the confiscation of the cloth. Regarding the offending vehicle of Isuzu Bus, the confiscated goods were not found concealed in any specially designed cavities of the Isuzu Bus therefore release of the offending vehicle is ordered against a redemption fine of 20% of the value with a warning that if the said vehicle is found again involved in such activity then it will be outright confiscated.
