KARACHI: The Customs Collectorate of Appraisement East, Customs House, Karachi, has lodged First Information Report (FIR) against suspects who are allegedly involved in filing incorrect Import General Manifest data in WeBOC system of three different consignments to evade duty and taxes of Rs 4,882,088.
The complainant, Malik Muhammad Hashim, Preventive Officer, Appraisement East, Customs House, alleged that Arshad Nawab, owner of the MA Khan Enterprises and directors/involved persons of M/s Maritime Agencies (Private) Limited, deliberately submitted misleading information regarding false bills of shipment to evade taxes.
According to him, these companies were charged against feeding wrong port of landing into WeBOC by the freight forwarder and incorrect origin by the importer.
He mentioned that accused companies imported different types of cotton from Singapore but declared that those consignments were brought from Malaysia.
According to Hashim, the accused persons were found guilty for violating Section 19, 32(1) 32-(2) 32-A, 79 of the Customs Act 1969 punishable under clause 10A, 14, 14-A and 46 of section 56(1) of the Customs Act. 1969 read with Import (Control) Act, 1950.
He said that it was learnt that M/s Maritime Agencies (Private) Limited has committed a fraud by issuing fake ‘Bills of Landing’ in place of the original ones.
“The goods were actually shipped from Singapore through M/s Korea Marine Transport Company Limited, (shipping lines) whose master shipping agent was M/s United Marine Agencies (Private) Limited, who authorized M/s Maritime Agencies (Private) Limited who filed the Import General Manifest with incorrect information.”
He mentioned that the Bill of Lading, showing wrong shipper’s name and country of origin instead of actual particulars information mentioned in the Master Bill of Lading by M/s Korea Marine Transport Co. Ltd.
He said that the goods were mis-declared to avail inadmissible concession of Pak-Malaysia FTA regime under SRO 1261(I)/2007.
