KARACHI: Investigation officer for the super luxurious Bentley Mulsanne recovered from the garage of Karachi’s posh DHA locality has submitted its chalan in the Custom Court.
The police have already arrested two suspects Navaid Yamin and Muhammad Sohail. According to the chalan, the suspect has violated the rules and regulation of Pakistan Customs as they evaded over Rs300 millions of tax duties.
The luxury car was imported by a former Bulgarian ambassador to Pakistan in November 2019 and was cleared at the port through documentation provided by the foreign embassy.
It is pertinent to mention that diplomats are allowed to order duty-free vehicles. The vehicles can be used without paying the duty till the diplomats are serving in the home country.
This luxury vehicle was bought to Pakistan on the basis of an exemption certificate 6021.
According to sources, any vehicle bought by a foreign ambassador is allotted a special number. Similarly, the Bentley was allotted CD-09-13. These vehicles cannot be driven by anyone except the ambassador himself.
However, this car was sold later.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had written to Pakistan Customs, wherein it confirmed that the car had been imported into the country and registered as a diplomatic vehicle.
However, the ministry clarified that it was never asked to deregister the vehicle nor was permission sought for its sale.
The foreign affairs ministry said Bulgaria’s current ambassador to Pakistan had distanced himself from the stolen Bentley, saying that “He does not have the car and its registration should be cancelled.”
Sindh’s Excise and Taxation Department registered the luxury car on the name of the former Bulgarian ambassador while the Bentley had already been allotted a number earlier when it was imported.
The Customs has also nominated Sindh’s excise department in the first information report registered for the case.
The value of the car is more than $0.5 million in the international market which is at least 120 million Pakistani rupees. The duty of the car after arriving in Pakistan rests at 300 million rupees.
Currently, the car is in the possession of Pakistan Customs.
