ISLAMABAD: FBR has ordered all Model Customs Collectorates to audit data of inter-port cargo movements and confirm whether all unclaimed containers are available at the ports or cleared illegally against fake Goods Declarations, causing revenue loss to the national exchequer.
The sources said that after the detection of illegally clearing of the containers at Port Qasim, FBR wants to determine the number of unclaimed containers removed illegally from all the ports. They said that the case was detected by Directorate General of Customs Intelligence that 22 containers were unlawfully cleared from Port Qasim, Karachi from January 2013 to July 2013. Later, the number of such containers reached 35 after further investigation by the customs intelligence.
In this regard, FBR has issued instructions to all Model Customs Collectorate following detection made by the Directorate General of Customs Intelligence, sources said.
According to sources, FBR has directed the field formations to carry out audit of data concerning inter-port movement of cargo for the last two years at least and also physically check the presence of unclaimed indices to see whether the goods were disposed of legally or otherwise.
Details of the case revealed that the staff of Directorate General I&I-FBR, Regional Office, Karachi has detected unlawful clearance of twenty-two 40ft containers imported at Port Qasim, Karachi during the period from January 2013 to July 2013.
The theft of government revenue has been estimated to be Rs9.46 million. However, more disturbing is the fact that the fraudsters were able to clear a huge number of consignments against fake and fabricated Goods Declarations.
Initially, two consignments were detected to have been clandestinely removed against fake GDs bearing Machine Nos. KPPI-HC-21132 dated 20.07.2012 and KPQI-HC-25192 dated 27.07.2013. Subsequently, twenty more such cases were detected. The Directorate General’s staff made extraordinary efforts to trace the truck drivers who were instrumental in transportation of the unlawfully cleared/clandestinely removed goods from the Port to the dumping places of the fraudsters.
The FIR has been lodged in the case and one person has been arrested so far. An amount of Rs5.4 million, involved in nine of the 22 consignments, has already been recovered out of the total defrauded amount of Rs9.46 million. There are clear indications that further detections will also be made, sources said.
