KARACHI: At least four appraisers of Port Qasim are found to be involved in clearing menthol illegally under the garb of synthesize mint oil and flavor.
A reliable source told Customs Today that as the investigations proceeded in this mega scandal of tax evasion, the officials have come to know that an importer using different names has succeeded in clearing at least 10 consignments of menthol under the garb of synthesize mint oil and flavor during last one year. In the investigation it was further revealed that M/s Alliance International was involved in the mega tax evasion.
It is pertinent to mention here that on 3rd of January the Customs officials had unearthed a mega scandal of duties and tax evasion worth over Rs 50 million in which a racket had smuggled hundreds of tons of menthol under the garb of synthesize mint oil and flavor.
The last consignment of the said importer was processed by appraising officer Shair Khan who detected this smuggling attempt but previously at least four appraising officers processed the same consignments and cleared against taking huge bribe.
Source further informed that early this year, Chief Collector South Rasheed Shaikh and former Collector Port Qasim Saeed Akram had come to know that a network of importers and clearing agents were busy in clearing menthol under the garb of synthesize mint oil and flavor which was causing loss to government exchequer in millions.
Collector Saeed Akram took keen interest to bust the racket and deputed experts. In the meantime, an importer and clearing agent company namely M/s Alliance International tried to clear menthol in heavy quantity through Port Qasim initially under the garb of synthesize mint oil and flavor.
Initially, amount of duties and taxes leveled was around below one million rupees but when it was re-examined it was found that over Rs 10 million tax had to be paid.
According to the source, the consignments of the said importer was stopped and further investigation was underway to ascertain that how many such consignments were cleared in past and who were involved in the clearing process.
Further, it was found that the network was filing GDs for clearing menthol by using different names and this tactic of changing names proved to be helpful for the racket.
