KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has uncovered a massive fraud at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP) in Karachi, where high-value electronic consignments were being removed illegally without filing Goods Declarations (GDs) or paying customs duties and taxes. The total estimated value of evaded duty and taxes involved in the illegal removal of the five consignments is Rs384 million.
“The scam, orchestrated by employees of a foreign-based ground-handling company, which was also the custodian of the goods, in connivance with unscrupulous importers, involved the use of fake and forged documents issued by the company employees to remove electronic goods worth hundreds of millions from the airport,” a news release said here on Friday.
The fraud came to light after credible intelligence was received and promptly acted upon, strengthening controls at the Karachi airport.
The FBR said the timely intervention led to the seizure of a consignment valued at Rs103 million, including laptops, iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, PlayStations, and memory cards, before it could be spirited away.
“Apart from this, two consignments were found fraudulently cleared based on fake gate passes. The Collectorate of Customs Airport Karachi immediately lodged two FIRs and also arrested employees of the company involved in the case,” it added.
Investigations have confirmed that five consignments in total were illegally removed through this fraudulent modus operandi, the FBR said, adding all were shipped from the UAE by M/s Pir Jillani General Trading LLC, Dubai.
These consignments, packed in two pallets, weighing around 900–1000 kg each, were deliberately concealed from the Customs WeBOC system, preventing GD filings and enabling their clearance through fake gate passes.
The FBR said employees of the company manipulated their computerized iCargo system to conceal airway bills for issuance of fake gate passes for illegal removal of high value electronic goods.
It said customs investigators have also highlighted the foreign-based company’s refusal to provide CCTV footage and critical records despite repeated requests, raising serious suspicion of complicity at senior management level.
FIRs have been lodged and accused have been arrested while efforts are underway to recover the evaded amounts. Further FIRs and arrests are on the cards as FBR resolves to leave no stone unturned to recover the evaded amount.
The FBR Chairman and Member Customs have vowed that no leniency would be shown to custodians and customs functionaries who failed to perform their duties.
