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 TLR-555 in the jurisdiction for checking that led to the recovery 82,110 kilogram of used iron pipes seamless, 5650kg used cylinders, 1240kg roller bearing, 2530kg industrial gate valve, 2430kg iron sheets, 6990kg used iron rope, 2110kg iron girder, 500kg iron screw and 7840kg nut and bolts.
It was found that trailer was carrying consignment that was imported by M/s Beco Steel Baga Lahore and other importers. The driver of the vehicle produced a GD No. 14860 and the officials took the trailer into custody 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.
Meanwhile, mis-declaration regarding quantity of the recovered goods was detected, as the importers declared weight as 84290kg used iron pipes and girders along with 27189kg other goods, while the officials observed that 89600kg re-meltable scrap was got cleared against the GD.
In this way duty and taxes 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 an investigation officer 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.
