KARACHI: The Collectorate of Customs Preventive has written a letter to the Interior Ministry through the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), seeking an appropriate action and initiation of an inquiry against a staff member of an embassy whose name was used to evade customs duties and taxes.
In the meantime, officials of customs preventive have started probe against the examiner and apprising staff of MCC Appraisement East who were involved in the clearance of precious household stuffs illegally.
It is pertinent to mention here that Model Customs Collectorate Preventive, Karachi, had claimed to have foiled an attempt to smuggle a huge quantity of cell phones, auto parts and other household items under the guise of diplomatic consignment while raiding a truck in the industrial area of Karachi.
Qamar Thallo, the spokesperson of Customs Preventive, told Customs Today that two people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident and efforts are being made to arrest the mastermind. “We are investigating this case from every direction to reach the conclusive evidences,” he said
Collector Preventive Dr Iftikhar Ahmed had received the credible information that a gang of smugglers was involved in smuggling of goods by misusing the exemption facility available to the diplomats and privileged persons.
Reacting on this information, ASO team of Preventive Collectorate after strict vigilance spotted a container – WHLU-5685618 at a warehouse near Chamra Chowrangi, Korangi on December 28, 2017. The ASO team during examination recovered substantial quantity of mobile phones and other goods worth Rs 60 million, which were cleared under the garb of a diplomatic consignment.
According to Dr Iftikhar, these unscrupulous persons filed a Good Declaration (GD) KAPE-PP-110750 in the name of a diplomat with declared description as ‘household goods’ worth Rs0.986 million, adding that declared goods were delivered to the concerned diplomat while rest of the goods including, auto parts & headlights, refrigeration gas cylinders, refrigeration coil and Jotun paint worth Rs 60 million were confiscated along with driver, conductor and one suspected person.
During initial course of investigation, it was revealed that goods were removed from the said container and dispatched to different areas of the city.
Resultantly, raids were conducted that led the seizure of remaining goods along with a truck loaded with smuggled cell phones and tablets. An FIR was lodged and further investigations were started.
During the initial course of investigation it was revealed that GD was filed within the Appeasement East and was examined and cleared by the examiners and appraisement staff who are being kept under investigation for their involvement on the direction of Collector Dr Iftikhar.
