KARACHI: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&) has impounded a consignment of high value goods worth Rs100 million. These goods were being smuggled into the country under the cover of ‘Used Household Items and Personal Effects’.
Sources told Customs Today that after the instructions of Collector Appraisement West Sana Ullah Abro , Additional Collector Javaid Sarwer Sheikh constituted a team under the supervision of Deputy Collector Jawad Virk and comprising Principal Appraiser Amjad Iqbal, Appraising officer Mujahid Khetran and Intelligence Officer Adil Javed to conduct a detailed examination of the goods, and found that they were different from the items mentioned in the documents provided by the importer. The total value of the goods was determined to be US$ 1.205 million involving duty and taxes of Rs100 million approximately, which was much higher than the declared value of US$
The consignment, which was declared to have originated from Jebel Ali, UAE, was cleared on the basis of an exemption certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Islamabad. However, the Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) placed the container under hold on suspicion that it contained undeclared consumer goods and/or liquor/chemical.
The ANF sought permission from the MoFA to physically examine the consignment. After getting approval, the ANF opened the container but did not find any liquor or other scheduled items. They then handed over the consignment to the Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (West), Karachi for further investigation.
Subsequently, the consignment was seized. The clearing agent M/s S.S.S. Enterprises and the shipping agent RAH Shipping & Logistics were booked for committing an offence of clearance of high value/restricted goods through irrelevant/fake documents by mis-declaration of goods in the garb of exempted cargo. A First Information Report was registered and further process is underway.
It is necessary to mention here that Director-General Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Faiz Ahmad Chadhar directed to take stern action against those who found involving in smuggling.
