ISLAMABAD: The Finance Bill 2015-16 has proposed to bar customs from initiating recovery proceedings in any case, if the recoverable amount is less than Rs 20,000.
Earlier, this minimum benchmark was Rs 100 only. The Finance Bill 2015-16 has increased the fine on the importers in case the invoice is not available in the container or pinned with the consignment to Rs 50,000 from earlier Rs 5,000.
According to the proposed amendment in section 156 of Customs Act, 1969, if any person contravenes the requirement of placement of invoice and packing list inside the import container or consignment, such person shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding Rs 50,000. This measure has been proposed to eliminate mis-declaration.
Moreover, if a person makes an untrue declaration relating to transit goods or illegally removes or conceals any transit goods, such person including the custodian and inland carrier shall be liable to a penalty up to twice the value of the goods and upon conviction by a special judge be further liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, and the goods in respect of which such offence has been committed shall also be liable to confiscation.
This amendment suggests involvement of the custodian of transit cargo i.e. the drivers of the container mounted vehicles, in the investigations as well as bear the liability.
Officials said this was an important development and it would discourage pilferage of transit cargo. The Finance Bill 2015-16 also aims to computerize authorization of transhipment consignments as the bill proposed amendment in Section 121 that at customs-station where the
Customs computerized system is operational; the system may automatically authorize transhipment to other customs-station subject to risk selectivity criteria. For the purpose of transhipment of LCL goods, the customs-station of first entry shall be the customs-station where the goods are de- consolidated.
