KARACHI: The Customs Appellate Tribunal has rejected an appeal by Muhammad Irfan, challenging confiscation of motor oil, spare parts and other items by the additional collector of Customs Adjudication SITE Area Hyderabad. The goods were allegedly smuggled and transported from Lahore to Karachi.
A single bench of the tribunal comprising Syed Tanveer Ahmed, Member Technical-III Karachi, heard the appeal.
During the hearing, the tribunal also observed that: “It is established that goods are smuggled as applicant has failed to produce any import documents or even ordinary purchase receipt/ invoice from local market. The case fall in the definition of smuggling as duty and taxes have not been paid on the goods. The applicant was willing to pay duty and taxes, on the confiscated goods, which confirms the case that these are smuggled goods, hence, the order of the adjudication authority for confiscation of goods is upheld and the appeal is rejected on the merits of the case.”
According to the customs department, in pursuance of information that foreign origin goods and motor oil, spare parts, bearings etc are being transported for Lahore to Karachi through a container/ trailer having bearing registration no: C-3063 which was intercepted at Toll Plaza Rohri Bypass, on checking the goods were found loaded on the truck, during the searching driver failed to produce any import documents, therefore, the same were seized and notices were issued to the applicant.
However, during the hearing, applicant had argued that subject goods were transported form Lahore to Karachi under valid bilties which shows that the seized goods were not smuggled goods
Citing Additional Collector of Customs Adjudication SITE Area Hyderabad and the Superintendent Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation-FBR as respondents, applicant pleaded the tribunal may set aside impugned judgment of adjudication.
