KARACHI: The Directorate of Customs Intelligence (Enforcement) and Customs Collectorate (Appraisement-West) have locked horns over the jurisdiction in a mis-declaration case.
Now the case is in the court to ascertain jurisdiction of both the directorate and collectorate.
Both the authorities have also lodged FIRs under Section 32(1), 32(2) and 32A to pursue the case, in which M/s Farooq Corporation was caught mis-declaring its imports.
The accused company was importing baby tricycle battery in guise of baby trike parts through mis-declaration of description and gross under valuation. After separate examination of the consignment by both the directorate and collectorate, it was confirmed that baby tricycle batteries were being imported instead of declared baby trike parts, evading taxes of Rs0.992 million.
However, both the directorate and collectorate are claiming jurisdiction over the case. Now the court will decide the jurisdiction of the case and afterwards, the case would proceed.
Sources said that Mr Umair, on behalf of M/s Farooq Corporation, has been importing such items through mis-declaration and between 200 to 300 consignments have been passed through Yellow Channel, while Mr Sheikh Hassan was supplying and selling the items in the local market.
Sources further said that the Customs Intelligence has authority to not only examine the remaining consignments on port but also to investigate the already mis-declared consignments, which have caused millions of rupee losses to the national exchequer.
Sources raised the question that how can two different FIRs be lodged in a case, adding, “Different FIRs must be lodged against each container, which has been passed through mis-declaration and against the pending consignments.”
The copy of FIR lodged by Customs Intelligence:
