KARACHI: Port Qasim Customs has confiscated eight used Hino trucks, which were cleared through a clearing agent by mis-declaring the year of manufacture to circumvent the provisions of import policy order.
Port Qasim Additional Collector Yasin Murtaza detected the fraud wherein the accused inflicted a loss of Rs9.0 million on the exchequer through presenting fake and forged documents. The R&D team comprised of PA Shahid Rizvi, AO Amir Shuja.
M/s J.L Enterprises clearing agent got cleared eight Hino trucks in favour of various importers declaring the year of manufacture as 2012 by presenting the forged pre-shipment Inspection reports and vehicle registration document (VRD) issued by the government of Hong Kong to substantiate the year of manufacture. As per the undertaking of the importer that all the particulars declared are true, the vehicles were released.
However, post clearance scrutiny was initiated to confirm the year of manufacture of the vehicle. Accordingly, Commercial Attaché, Consulate General of Pakistan, Hong Kong was requested for verification of the particulars of vehicles. Initially, a letter purportedly issued by Consulate General of Pakistan, Hong Kong was received in the Collectorate, which confirmed the particulars, the year of manufacture and registration certificate of the vehicle. However, the Consulate General intimated the Collectorate that the earlier letter confirming the particulars was fake.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Consulate General Hong Kong sent the copy of the report received from the Transport Department, Hong Kong government. The record confirmed that the actual year of manufacture of the imported Hino trucks were 2004 and 2006 not 2012 as declared by the importer.
This information established the fact that the importer and customs clearing agent deliberately mis-declared year of manufacture of the vehicles by presenting forged Hong Kong vehicle registration document (VRD) and Pre shipment Inspection Certificate in order to get 12 year older vehicle cleared in violation of provisions of Import Policy Order 2016.
The vehicles have been seized and contravention reports have been served for further adjudication.
