AHMEDABAD: Ahmedabad unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 23 containers of two Jalandhar-based traders, a distributor and a shipper for commercial fraud of Rs 17 crore in exports at Mundra port here the other day.
These traders in connivance with a Gandhidham-based customs house agent were exporting scaffoldings while the entries in the customs were made that of clamps, nuts and bolts to avail extra benefits under government’s export schemes.
The central government under customs rules gives incentives in exports under drawback and focus product scheme (FPS). In case of scaffolding, the incentive under FPS is 2% and drawback is of 1.9% while in case of clamps, nuts and bolts the incentive under FPS is 7% and drawback of 5%,” said a DRI official.
Two Jalandhar-based traders, including SJF International, allegedly created fake companies and exported scaffoldings for the last one year from Mundra port. “The customs house agent helped these traders in preparing fake bill of entries by changing the description of goods. These traders had exported scaffoldings of more than Rs 100 crore. Going by rules they should have got around Rs 4 crore as incentive and drawback but they availed much more than that,” added the official.
According to DRI officials, around 10 fake companies were created along with 300 fake identities of people running these companies.
DRI officials also conducted searches at the premises of Jalandhar based traders and house of customs agent in Gandhidham over the weekend. “The search was conducted on the basis of intelligence developed by DRI Ahmedabad. The amount of fraud can increase further as the investigation is still going on,” said the official.
