KARACHI: The MCC Preventive is likely to lodge an FIR in the case where a consignment was imported for transshipment and suspected pilferage during transit, which is known to be a regular practice of certain elements to smuggle foreign goods. The said consignment was being re-exported through misdeclaring the contents of the consignments.
Since the re-export consignments are subject to examination, the authorities examined the consignment and found the goods to be 6,000 expensive mobile phones, LEDs, refrigerated gas cylinders, perfumes and other goods. However, as per the import general manifest, the consignment was reported as miscellaneous goods under single PCT.
According to details, M/s Essam International-Karachi in July 2015 imported a consignment of miscellaneous goods, but no Goods Declaration or Transshipment Permit (TP) were filed.
The importer was approached that their consignment was lying on the port to which representative of M/s Essam International appeared before the authorities claiming that their ID was misused and they did not imported the said consignment.
Later, a re-export GD was filed by M/s Nisar International Clearing Agent (Lic No.1687) for the subject consignment.
An Additional Collector under the authority granted by the Customs Act, 1969 had approved the re-export of said consignment for being frustrated cargo. Collector Exports Saifuddin Junejo sent it back to MCC Appraisement East requesting approval by the Collector as according to Customs Rules, Collector’s approval is required.
Collector Appraisement East Majeed Yousafani upon receipt of the request by Collector Export ‘marked’ the said document for due procedure, but it was erroneously forwarded to Collector Export as if approved by the Collector.
Majid Yousafani has initiated a departmental investigation to ascertain why and how the said document was forwarded to MCC Exports as approved.
It was known that the subject consignment is one of these, which are imported under single PCT and the importer files TP and the goods usually being high-value goods are replaced with very low value goods. MCC Preventive in particular Additional Collector Khalid Mohammad Jamali and ASO led by Assistant Collector Syed Raza Naqvi has efficiently eliminated the pilferage of TP cargo.
Under the supervision of Chief Collector Enforcement South Zahid Khokhar, a rigorous campaign is underway against replacement of TP cargo. Moreover, it has been mandatory that the bill of lading, invoice and packing list of the consignment would have to be uploaded in the system at the time GD-TP filing. It may be mentioned here that clearing agents of dry ports have been protesting against the requirement. Instead of proceeding with the dirty business, the cartel opted for re-export of goods.
It may be mentioned here that Directorate of Customs Intelligence Peshawar has detected over 100 such containers, which were imported under single PCT and the goods including electronics, mobile phones, cosmetics, auto parts etc were replaced with low value goods during transit.