FAISALABAD: Customs Adjudication Collector Raja Tahir Majeed has issued an Order-in-Original (ONO) in favour of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation and Faisalabad Anti-Smuggling Organisation (ASO), and ordered to impound trailer along with recovered items.
As per details, the customs officials intercepted a trailer bearing Registration No TLN-555 near Toba Tek Singh for checking that led to the recovery 82,960 kilogram of used iron pipes seamless, 7550kg iron girder, 2060kg welding wire, 4870kg iron screw rods, 780kg iron sheets, 7500kg lifting trolley parts, 3630kg electric AC motor, 400kg geared motor and 600kg generator.
Furthermore, the occupant of the vehicle identifies himself as Baz Mohammad son of Zahir Khan and produced a receipt No. 069 issued by Sitara AL-Usman Goods Forwarding Agency, Quetta. On demand, he failed to produce any documents regarding lawful procession and legal import of the items.
Therefore, the officials impounded the trailer under Section 17 of the Customs Act, 1969 for checking and verification. The vehicle was shifted to Faisalabad Dry Port for examination of the goods. The customs officials also sent vehicle for forensic test. The report stated that present chassis number is not original and using bogus number.
Meanwhile, mis-declaration regarding quantity of the recovered goods were also made detected. In this way duty and taxes amounting to Rs 5.65 million leviable on the recovered goods had been less paid in violation of Section 18, 32, and 79 of the Custom Act, 1969. Therefore the recovered goods, along with the vehicle were impounded under Section 168 of the Act.
Later, the case was sent to adjudication where Investigation Officer Mohammed Mansoor Nasir appeared from the prosecution side and asserted that the seized goods fell under the ambit of Section 2(s), of the Customs Act, 1969.
After hearing arguments, Collector Raja Tahir Majeed issued ONO in favour of the Customs Intelligence and ordered to impound the goods and vehicle.