FAISALABAD: The Collectorate of Customs Adjudication Deputy Collector Saima Ayaz ordered to confiscate foreign origin diesel oil 299-drums as 47450-kgs which was brought into country without payment of customs duty and taxes.
Deputy Collector Saima Ayaz heard a case filed by Customs Anti Smuggling Organization (ASO) against Abdul Ghaffar consignor and Muhammad Naeem. She issued Order in Original (ONO) No 202/2017 in favour of the customs department and ordered to seize the diesel oil under the customs laws.
As per details, the ASO team following credible information intercepted trailer bearing registration no TLZ-909 were being transported from Quetta to Faisalabad loaded with 299 drums of foreign origin diesel oil.
On demand, drivers of trailer could not produce any documentary evidence regarding legal import or lawful possession of the loaded items, therefore, the trucks were taken into custody along with diesel for further investigations under Section 168 of the Custom Act, 1969 violation of Section 2 (s) read with SRO-566(1) Section 3 of Sales Tax Act 1990 Section 148 of Income Tax Ordinance.
Later, the case was sent to the Customs Adjudication for further legal action where customs representative Inspector Munir Ahmed appeared from the prosecution side and asserted that the seizing agency was drawn the sample of seizes oil in presence of driver and sent to HDIP Islamabad and Lahore for ascertaining the actual description. He produced photocopies of test Report No, HDIP/PTRL/A-128/17 with the remark that to the extent of test carried out in this laboratory. The sample is adulterated diesel oil.
While Muhammad Afzal Shahzad advocate appears and contended that seizes oil was purchase from open market in Quetta, M/s Hayat and Abdul Ghaffar who imported a consignment of mixed carbon solvent from Iranian vide GD No: QDRY-HC-4978 and cleared after payment of duty taxes at customs Dryport Quetta.
However, the respondents could not defend the allegation of smuggling or produce any documentary evidence before the adjudication. Therefore, the deputy collector stated that it was crystal clear that the foreign origin seized diesel oil were smuggled one and brought into country illegally by evading duty and taxes leviable thereon and ordered to impound the oil in favour of federal government under section 156(1) 89 of the Custom Act 1969 and also ordered trailer used for transportation of offending goods under section 157(2) of the Customs Act 1969.
