ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue has imposed penalties worth Rs2.7 billion on Gerry’s Dnata after adjudication orders found the company involved in the illegal removal of imported electronic goods by bypassing customs clearance procedures.
According to customs authorities, the case involved concealment of airway bills, deletion of index numbers and the use of fake gate passes generated through the company’s computerised system, allowing consignments to leave the terminal without filing Goods Declarations or paying customs duties and taxes.
Authorities also ordered recovery of Rs221 million in unpaid duties and taxes.
The investigation was conducted by the Collectorate of Customs (Airports), Karachi after officials intercepted consignments containing luxury electronic products including laptops, iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, PlayStations, tablets and memory cards being removed through forged gate passes.
Subsequent investigations found that at least five additional consignments had been cleared illegally using the same method.
Officials said all consignments originated from suppliers based in the United Arab Emirates and had been concealed from the WeBOC customs clearance system to avoid scrutiny.
According to five adjudication orders, customs authorities concluded that the fake gate passes reflected systemic failures, weak internal controls and institutional complicity rather than isolated actions by individual employees.
Authorities further stated that the company failed to provide CCTV footage and system logs required to be retained under Section 211 of the Customs Act, 1969 and obstructed the investigation despite repeated notices issued under Section 26 of the law.
Customs officials arrested eight individuals in connection with the case, including five employees of Gerry’s Dnata.
According to investigators, confessional statements were recorded from the accused.
A female employee admitted issuing fake gate passes on the instructions of supervisors, while an arrested cargo agent disclosed the existence of an organised network allegedly involved in manifest manipulation and systematic pilferage of imported goods over several years.
Investigators also recovered counterfeit customs gate officer stamps allegedly used to prepare fraudulent gate passes.
