KARACHI: Customs Appraisement West Collector Shahnaz Maqbool to hold hearing on June 19 to discuss the issue of suspension of license of M/s E-Movers Pvt Ltd, a bonded carrier involved in huge tax evasion.
Peshawar Customs Inspector Abdul Waheed will also join the hearing, which is being conducted to suspend the license of M/s E-Movers Pvt Ltd, owned by Mansoor Shaikh, who is reportedly brother of Chief Collector Appraisement South Abdul Rasheed Shaikh.
It may be mentioned here that Appraisement West Collector Shahnaz Maqbool suspended the license of M/s E-Movers for two days, but then it was restored. Despite several notices, M/s E-Movers has not joined investigations and hearings, which is a misconduct as per Customs Rules.
On the other hand, Collector Adjudication Islamabad penalized M/s E-Movers and others for replacement of transshipment cargo.
It was reported by the Superintendent Customs, Dry-Port, Peshawar that Muhammad Ibrahim S/o Abdul Rasheed Proprietor of M/s Al-Wahab Enterprises, Ibrar Hussain S/o Riaz-ud-Din and M/s E-Movers bonded carrier clandestinely replaced high value containerized imported goods with low value goods, during transshipment of these high value goods from Karachi to Peshawar.
Collector Adjudication Ishsan Ali Shah after detailed deliberations of the case established that high-end goods were actually imported but the same were replaced en-route from Karachi to Peshawar. For evident reasons a deep collusion between all the respondents can be seen in the whole act and the violation has been carried out in a clandestine manlier.
The terms of bonded carrier license have been grossly violated hand in hand with importer and others. In view of the aforesaid facts it is clear that the goods have been replaced by the respondents to evade large amount of legitimate duty and taxes. The charges of misdeclaration as well as of smuggling are established on the respondents. The evaded differential amount of duty & tax of Rs14.032m is recoverable. All the seized goods are also confiscated having been stuffed en-route in place of actually imported goods.
A penalty of Rs0.5 million is also imposed on each of the respondents. The gross violation of Law/Rules by the Bonded Carrier license also calls for separate proceedings before the relevant licensing authority for necessary action in the Light of related Law/ Rules. Unless the license is suspended the recovery of fine and penalties cannot be affected.
