Three companies booked for ‘misdeclaration’

They committed a theft of Rs36.12 million, say Customs sources

The research and development section of the Model Customs Collectorate of Appraisement-East lodged a case on Tuesday against three importing companies for 13 consignments of ball bearings that, reportedly, received clearance on the basis of misdeclaration.

Sources claim that the accused companies committed a theft of Rs36.12 million in customs duties and taxes through the misdeclaration of consignments. Legal action was initiated after booking the owners of Muneer Traders, Junaid Traders and Zainab International, namely Muhammad Muneer, Zaman Khan and Sheikh Muhammad Bilal Shehzad, and the customs clearance agents and owners of Waqar and Bros and Amir International - Waqar Alam and Amir Mansha.

Customs officials maintained that the process of reviewing the ball bearings' consignments that were given clearance in three collectorates of Pakistan Customs was made stricter on the directives of Federal Bureau of Revenue Member of Customs Tariq Huda.

Huda issued directives to take action on complaints of increasing irregularities in ball bearings' consignments. Officials of the research and development section were directed by East Collector of Customs Appraisal Engineer Riaz Memon to re-inspect data pertaining to cleared consignments of ball bearings.

Customs officials claimed that during inspection it was found that owners of Zainab International committed theft of Rs21.22m in 2019 and 2021 by paying less on account of duties and taxes and got clearance for four consignments of ball bearings through misdeclaration.

Similarly, according to customs officials, owners of Muneer Traders committed theft of Rs12.32m on three consignments of ball bearings and owners of Junaid Traders committed theft of Rs6.38m on six consignments of ball bearings through misdeclaration.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2020.