KARACHI: Collectorate of Customs Appraisement West has registered an FIR against M/s M.A.C. Steel Corporation and M/s Pakistan Steel Import Company for illegal removal of goods from a customs bonded warehouse to evade duty and taxes.
Sources said that Collector Naveed Ilahi received credible that some companies willfully removed the goods from a customs warehouse to evade duty and taxes.
He immediately constituted a team under the supervision of Deputy Collector Saima Butt, including Principal Appraiser Rasheed Khan and Appraising Officer Zia ur Rehman to conduct thorough probe the matter.
It was revealed that M/s M.A.C. Steel Corporation (NTN: 1877205) had unlawfully removed goods from the bonded warehouse, Pakistan Industries Karachi (Warehouse No. Public/1-P13-3000).
Further information received on December 12, 2024, indicated that M/s Pakistan Steel Import Company (License No. 2/2015) had also removed goods without paying the necessary duties, taxes, and other charges as mandated by Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1969.
To verify these claims, officials from the Collectorate conducted a physical inspection of all bonded consignments. The inspection team visited the warehouse on December 12, 2024, and reported that goods, specifically cold rolled sheets and hot rolled sheets, had been removed illegally. The total quantities removed were 26,550 MT of cold rolled sheets and 105,290 MT of hot rolled sheets.
Initial investigations confirmed that M/s M.A.C. Steel Corporation had imported a consignment of secondary quality galvanized coated steel coils, which were in-bonded at the warehouse but subsequently removed illegally without payment.
The probe established that Muhammad Ahmed Chobdar, owner of M/s M.A.C. Steel Corporation, and Tariq Chobdar, Sole Proprietor of Public Bonded Warehouse “Pakistan Steel Import Company,” had orchestrated the unlawful removal of goods. The fraudulent actions resulted in a financial loss to the public kitty worth Rs4,402,598, plus additional charges.
The actions of the involved parties violated Sections 97, 104, and 116 of the Customs Act, 1969, among other regulations.
The FIR has been registered and efforts are underway to arrest who committed this crime willfully.
