ISLAMABAD: Customs Adjudication Deputy Collector Ubaidullah has ordered the release confiscated consignment of video jet ink on payment of duty and taxes leviable thereon along with redemption fine equivalent to 20 percent of the appraised value.
As per details, the Customs Preventive deputy collector received information that an attempt would be made to smuggle video jet ink from Peshawar by a truck bearing Registration No.Z-6240. To check the authenticity of the information, a raiding party held a picket on GT Road near Tarnol.
The officials stopped a vehicle coming from Peshawar and recovered foreign origin video jet. At the time of occurrence, the owner of the goods identified himself as Asif Ali and on demand he could not produce any documentary proof, showing legal import or lawful possession of the recovered items except one Receipt No 2614 issued by M/s Baber Cargo Service.
There were, therefore, reasons to believe that the recovered items had been brought into the country in violation of Section 2(s) & 16 of the Customs Act, 1969, read with 3(1) of the Imports and Exports Controls Act, 1950. The officials seized the items under section 168 of the Customs Act, 1969 after proper documentation on the spot and due service of a notice under section 171 of the Customs Act 1969, which is punishable under Section 156 (1) (89) (90) & 178 of the Customs Act, 1969 upon the said accused persons.
The respondent, later, submitted an application wherein he stated that he is ready to pay duty and taxes leviable on the seized goods.
Deputy Collector Ubaidullah has said in his judgment, “I have gone through the record of the case and have considered written as well as verbal submissions put forth by the respondents and prosecution and have come to conclusion that the respondents have failed to provide valid legal documents regarding lawful import of the aforementioned seized foreign origin video jet ink. It means that the seized goods are non-duty / taxes paid”.
The order further stated, “The respondents through written application also expressed their willingness to pay duty/taxes on these goods, which is implied confession on their behalf that seized foreign origin video Jet ink was brought into the country without payment of duty/taxes leviable thereon”.
“Keeping in view the aforementioned facts, a lenient view is taken, 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 duty and taxes leviable thereon plus a redemption fine equivalent to 20 percent of the appraised value of seized video jet ink in lieu of confiscation,” the deputy collector concluded.
