LAHORE: The Customs authorities have decided to send back 14 luxury vehicles worth Rs200 million to Japan through adjudication.
These luxury vehicles, including V8 Land Cruisers and Pajero, were stolen from Japan and imported to Karachi on September 30, 2017 and were brought them to the container freight station at Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore through a transhipment permit.
However, a six-member team led by Additional Collector Customs Ismat Tahira examined these vehicles and during the examination, pointed out that the front doors of some vehicles were broken and their keys were duplicated. Similarly, Customs Japan has verified that the luxury vehicles were in fact, stolen from their country, sources said, adding that no FIR has been registered.
It has also been learnt that these luxury vehicles were imported in violation of section 32, 16 of the Customs Act and import policy. Furthermore, registration of FIR under Customs Act section 2 S is a requirement in case of fraud and submission of fake documents, which was not adhered to in this case.
Sources said that one of the vehicles, a Land Cruiser – which had a landing number bill ‘AWSL 0686596052’ – was shipped to Pakistan on August 10, 2017 and the vehicle arrived at the Karachi port on August 30, 2017 with VIDE IGM No KAPE-420, while this Land Cruiser was sent to Lahore on December 19, 22017. They said the clearing agent filed home consumption GD NO 1350 for clearance of the said Land Cruiser and later, the vehicle was presented for examination.
The Deputy Collector (CSF) has also writen a letter to the Consulate General of Pakistan in Japan on March 7, 2018 to obtain the export certificate of the said vehicle. The Consulate General of Pakistan in Karachi while responding to the letter of the Deputy Collector informed that the vehicle was stolen from Japan. After this, notices were sent to the importer and the clearing agent in May 2018 under the Customs Act 1969.
The official sources said that the crime is violation of serial No 43 of the import policy, adding that this act is punishable under the Customs Act 1969, Section 156 (1), Article 14, 9, 77 and the Import and Export Control Act 1950, Section 3 (3).
