LAHORE: The Customs Appellate Tribunal ordered to release a consignment of steel sheets and iron unconditionally in cases of Lahore Customs Preventive additional collector versus Muhammad Zahid, Muhammad Awais Ashraf and Muhammad Saeed.
According to the details, The Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO), Lahore intercepted a truck loaded with 12,140 kilogram of foreign origin steel sheets and iron and asked the driver to documents regarding the legal import of the items.
The driver could not do the same one which the goods were seized along with vehicle under Section 2(kk) and 17 of Customs Act, 1969. Later, a person named Muhammad Awais Ashraf appeared before competent authority and claimed the ownership, besides submitting the application expressing his willingness to pay the taxes and duties leviable thereon.
The Customs Adjudication deputy collector heard the case and ordered to release goods on the payment of Rs 20,000 fine. The owner aggrieved from the order passed by the adjudication authority and field the appeal before the Customs Appeals collector who dismissed it.
The owner later moved the Customs Appellate Tribunal stating that the Customs Appeal has not considered the pivotal facts regarding the specification of the confiscated goods. The counsel for the respondents also presented his arguments and denied the allegations levelled by the appellant.
After hearing the comments, the court ordered to release the consignment unconditionally.
