ISLAMABAD: Deputy Collector Customs Adjudication Islamabad Dr. Wajid Ali has ordered the release of non-duty-paid foreign origin cloth worth Rs435000 on the payment of duty and taxes and fine equivalent to 30% of the appraised value.
According to the Order-in-Original No. 46/2017 It was reported that on a tip-off about the smuggling of F/O cloth from Peshawar by a bus with the number plate of Peshawar-2170, the Customs Preventive set up a picket at G.T Road, Haro Toll Plaza. The reported vehicle was seen coming from Peshawar which was stopped by the Customs. A thorough search of the said vehicle led to the recovery of foreign origin cloth.
The possessors and a driver of the vehicle identified themselves as Israr-ul-Deen S/o Alham-ud-Din, Khadeeja Jan W/o Muhammad Niaz and Muhammad Hashim S/o Muhammad Qaim were asked for the legal documents of the item but they failed to prove the it. There were reasons to believe for customs staff that the recovered cloth had been brought into the country in violation of the Customs Act-1969 under section 168.
The respondents submitted an application for release of seized cloth on the payment of duty/taxes. Deputy Collector Adjudication checked the record of the case and concluded that the respondents have failed to provide valid legal documents regarding the lawful import of the seized cloth. The total appraised value of the cloth is Rs137130 and there are three owners of the cloth which is the less than legal limit of Rs150000.
Keeping in view the abovementioned facts, a lenient view of the case was taken, and an option was granted to the rightful owner in terms of Section 181 of the Customs Act-1969 to redeem the same on the payment of duty and taxes leviable thereon plus a redemption fine equivalent to 30% of the appraised value of the seized cloth.
