LAHORE: Collectorte of Customs Adjudication Deputy Collector issued Order-in-Original (ONO) declaring seizure of non-customs paid goods as legal.
According to the details, Superintendent Anti-Smuggling Organization (ASO) intercepted 20 bags packed with betel nuts lying on Cargo United Goods Transport Company Adda Lahore. A person standing nearby of the said goods identified himself as Salahuddin. The examination of the goods was conducted in presence of a ‘munshi’ and other witnesses which led to the recovery of 20 jute bags and 2006 kilograms of Indian origin betel nuts.
On demand, he failed to provide any evidence in support of legal import or lawful possession of the recovered betel nuts rather he verbally requested to grant some time to inform the owner of the goods for production of receipts. Therefore, the examined betel nuts were detained for three days under terms of Section 2 (kk) of the Customs Act, 1969.
However, despite the lapse of given period neither the above-said owner nor any other person appeared in the office of deputy collector adjudication. Therefore, there are sufficient reasons to believe that the detained foreign origin betel nuts were non-duty paid and brought into the country in breach of the restrictions and prohibitions.
After examining the whole record Deputy Collector Zainab Mehmood Khawaja declared seizure of betel nuts according to clause (90) of Section 156(I) of the Customs Act, 1969 as legal.
