PESHAWAR: Exporters with help of some customs officials deputed at Customs Station Torkham are earning millions of illegal money through fake declarations of exports to Afghanistan.
Some corrupt customs staff posted at Torkham Customs station is causing serious loss of millions to the exchequer through fake declarations in clearance of goods to Afghanistan.
Sources at Customs station Torkham informed Customs Today that wheat flour had been smuggled to Afghanistan through fake declarations. The customs export section at Torkham border accepted only Rs8/kilo while actual duty was Rs38/kilo.
The export section declared the trucks loaded with wheat flour as empty trucks due to which Rs 8/kilo were charged.
According to further details, the estimated loss to the customs exchequer is Rs30 per kilo at a time and millions in a month because twenty tons could be loaded in small truck while large vehicle could load up to 65-70 goods.
The sources further informed Customs Today that customs export section hired a private man who is responsible for giving the collected money back to Superintendent Arbab Shabir of Customs Station Torkham.
The Customs Station Torkham is also in the limelight due to corruption in the clearance of wheat. Sources revealed that exporters pay tax of wheat to clear potatoes and earn millions with help of authorities.
The imposed duty on clearance of potatos is Rs40/kilo but trucks are dispatched after getting Rs 35/kilo and no body seems to take care of the losses to customs exchequer, said an official of customs preventive.