FAISALABAD: The Deputy Collector Customs Adjudication Saima Ayyaz issued Order-in-Original (ONO) in case of 66/2018 and ordered to release the foreign origin vehicle after payment of duties and taxes plus a redemption fine equivalent to 20% of the appraised value.
According to the brief facts of the case a raiding party set up a picket on GT Road Sargodha city. The reported vehicle was seen coming from Peshawar side which was intercepted by the aforementioned party.
Owners of the vehicle identified as Hassan Iqbal Hashmi asked to show the legal documents of the vehicle but he failed to prove anything lawful.
So customs team impounded the jeep under Section 168 of the Customs Act 1969. A seizure report was submitted to the adjudication.
Prior to the issuance of show cause notice the respondent submitted petition for the release of said seized vehicle on payment of leviable duties and taxes.
The deputy collector came to a conclusion that the respondents failed to provide valid legal documents regarding the lawful import of the seized foreign origin jeep. It means that the confiscated items are non duties and taxes paid.
Moreover, the respondents expressed their willingness to pay duties taxes on confiscated vehicle which is tantamount to a confession that seized foreign origin jeep were brought into the country without payment of duties and taxes leviable thereon. The impounded vehicle falls under the category of notified goods in terms of Section 2(s) (ii) of the Customs Act 1969.
Keeping in view the said facts a lenient view is taken and an option is granted to the rightful owners in terms of Section 181 of the Customs Act 1969 to redeem the same on payment of duties and taxes leviable thereon plus a redemption fine equivalent to 20% of the appraised value of seized foreign origin jeep.
