LAHORE: The MCC Preventive has unearthed Rs 26.4 million duty and taxes fraud on import of betel leaves, Customs Today learnt on Friday.
MCC collectorate AFU officials upon suspicion, held audit of accounts of Jafa Kash Brothers in National Bank of Pakistan and found the company in connivance with its clearing agent A One Enterprises had been attaining clearance of imported betel leaves by hiding the actual quantity of the imported leaves.
It was found that the importer had been getting the clearance of 281 GDS declaring less weight than the imported betel leaves at the AFU Lahore since July 2009 up to June 2012. According to 233 GDs, the importer imported 1,53,244 kg of the betel leaves while the importer got clearance on 54,831 kg, evading duty and taxes of Rs 26, 435,000 on 86,154 kg of betel leaves. According to Customs officials, the accused persons including Jafa Kash Brothers and A One Enterprises and others have inflicted heavy losses on the national exchequer by evading above 26.4 million.
They added that the accused persons by not depositing Goods Declaration to the Customs office allegedly violated various sections of Customs Act, 1969. The Customs Investigation and Prosecution Department registered FIR against Shahid Chaudhry of Jafa kash Brothers and Rashid Yaqoob of A One Enterprises under clauses 77, 43, 14A, 14 of section 156 of Customs Act, 1969. The Customs I&P sources said that raids are being conducted to arrest the accused.
