KARACHI: The Directorate General of Customs Valuation has revised the customs value of USB Data Traveler/USB Flash Drive through Valuation Ruling No 1082/2017 under Section 25A of the Customs Act, 1969.
Customs values of USB data traveler/USB flash drive were determined under Section 25A of the Customs Act, 1969, vide Valuation Ruling No.668/2014, dated 23-09-2014. The valuation ruling required revision in line with the prevailing prices in the international market Therefore, this Directorate General initiated an exercise for determination of customs value of USB data traveler/USB flash drive.
A meeting with stakeholders was held on 16-02-2017. Importers had been requested to furnish invoices of imports during last three months showing factual value, websites, names and E-mail addresses of known foreign manufacturers of the item in question through which the actual current value can be ascertained.
Copies of Contracts made / LCs opened during the last three months showing the value of item in question should also be submitted. Copies of Sales Tax Invoices issued during last four months showing the difference in price (excluding duty and taxes) to substantiate that the benefit of difference in price is passed on to the local buyers.
During the course of meeting, the importers were of the view that the value of USB data traveler/USB flash drive of China origin has reduced in the international market as compared to the values determined in the existing valuation ruling, therefore, the values needed downward revision. They were requested to submit import invoices, sales tax invoices, literature, evidences and other relevant requisite import documents in support of their contentions; they did not provide any documents or evidence to substantiate their contentions. During the meeting they have also stated that USB data traveler/USB flash drive are being smuggled and it is not possible to the importers to survive in the local market. No documents were, however, submitted by them in this Directorate General on or before the said scheduled meeting.
Valuation methods given in Section 25-A of the Customs Act, 1969 were followed to arrive at customs values of USB data traveler/USB Flash Drive. Transaction value method provided in Section 25 (1) was found inapplicable owing to wide variation in the values being declared to the customs. Identical / similar goods value methods provided in Section 25 (5) & (6) were examined for applicability to the valuation issue in the instant case which provided some reference values of the subject goods but the same could not be exclusively relied upon due to wide variation in declared values of subject goods.
