KARACHI: Collectorate of Customs Port Mohammad Bin Qasim (PMBQ) has registered an FIR against M/s General Tobacco Company for removing illegally huge quantity of tipping paper imported in Export Processing Zone (EPZ) i to the tariff area.
Sources said that Collector Port Qasim Export Muhammad Amir Thaheem after receiving credible information directed Additional Collector Muhammad Qasim Khokhar that tipping paper imported by M/s General Trading Company, a unit in Export Processing Zone, Karachi has been pilfered and taken out from Export Processing Zone and has been transported to the Tariff Area without payment of chargeable duties and taxes.
Deputy Collector Amjad Aman Leghari had import data of Tipping Paper scrutinized, which revealed that in the recent past M/s General Tobacco Company, EPZ Karachi, imported tipping paper through their authorized Customs Agent M/s Rahbar Agency.
The premises of M/s General Tobacco Company were visited and very small quantity of Tipping Paper was found and the physical attribute of the paper negated its importation in the recent past. Upon query, the representative of M/s General Tobacco has confirmed the importation of Tipping Paper in the year 2019, as such, the contention of the customs team stood confirmed.
Moreover, M/s General Tobacco Company, EPZ Karachi, in response to query about the aforementioned Goods Declarations categorically denied filing of said Goods Declarations (GDs) taking plea that their User ID might have been misused, however, failed to provide any plausible reasons in support of their above contention.
Since it was confirmed by the source of information about the importation of Tipping Paper at Port Area and its subsequent transportation in the Zone, concerted efforts were made for locating the said consignment of Tipping Paper and Customs succeeded in identifying the place of dumping.
The premises of M/s Sitara Trading, EPZ, Karachi was searched and found 28 pallets comprising 2997 bobbins of Tipping Paper. According to the aforementioned 02 Goods Declaration total quantity of 78 pallets said to contain 8432 bobbins were imported and the available quantity of bobbins is sufficient to confirm that 50 pallets said to contain 5435 bobbins of Tipping paper have already been removed in clandestine manner to the Tariff Area depriving thereby the national exchequer from its legitimate revenue.
The import data of M/s Sitara Trading has also been scrutinized which revealed that unit is inactive since a long time and its premises has been used for the storage of Tipping Paper for its onward disposal in unlawful manner.
It is pertinent to submit that M/s Sitara Trading, EPZ Karachi are only permitted trading of the commodities viz. pulses, grains, dry vegetables, nuts & kernels, dry fruits, spices & stuffs (chilli, black paper, cloves, long paper etc).
The found quantity of Tipping Paper was seized and the premises of M/s. Sitara Trading were sealed. The accused deprived the national exchequer from its legitimate revenue to the tune of Rs25.75 million.
A case is established against M/s General Tobacco Company, M/s Rahbar Agency and accused Yaqoob S/o. Ibrahim Shah and Rehman.
