ISLAMABAD: Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Director Asalan Subuctageen assigned the task to dig out cases where millions and billions of rupees worth of tax evasions and fraud are involved which caused huge losses to the national exchequer.
He expressed these views during an exclusive interview with Customs Today. Answering to a query regarding issue of shipping companies demanding detention and demurrage charges by importers, Dr Arslan said that as per Customs Act, Section 2013, the shipping companies allow charges free clearance time for five days and subsequent to that they are allowed to charge demurrage as fixed by the concerned Collector of Customs.
In accordance with the law, delay and detention certificate is issued by Customs, only when the department needs to investigate the consignment and the consignment cannot be detained at Port beyond that specified time limit, he said, adding that terminal operators are required to accept the D&D Certificate issued by Customs and if they do not accept or partially accept it, department is free to initiate necessary action against them.
Dr Arslan said that government should build a sizeable Customs Border Security Force (BSF) to make borders with Afghanistan and Iran secure for promotion of trade between neighbouring countries and to discourage the smuggling activities. He encouraged the government for rationalizing duty taxes to curb smuggling.
Answering to another query that whether enforcement department of Customs can work under independent domain or wing? Dr Arsalan said that it look fair enough that if enforcement of customs work under separate wing or domain as well as Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) should only gather the information from raw shape and after purifying it, the information should be delivered to the Customs enforcement wing for further interception or seizures.
Dr Arslan said that I&I must work on cases where huge amount of revenue is involved. He added that small cases of smuggled goods is just exertion for I&I. He stated that I&I should focus on those cases where huge revenue is involved which can badly damage the national economy.
