The customs authorities have initiated investigations against an exporter and shipping agents for exporting almost 10,000 kilogrammes of donkey hides to China under the garb of salt and handicrafts.
Although authorities have yet to find out where the meat of so many donkeys, slaughtered for skins, has gone, the customs have booked Khan Ullah Masood owner of Khan Traders, Khalil Muqtadir Ahmed of Al•Muqtadir Services, and Muhammad Tahir owner of Trade Link International on charges of trying to smuggle donkey hides.
It may be mentioned that the Economic Coordination Committee has banned the trade and export of donkey skins.
As per the First Information Report (FIR) submitted by South Asia-Pakistan Terminal Customs Appraisal Officer, Muhamamd Ibrahim Palijo, before the Court of Special Judge (Customs and Taxation) Karachi, a credible information was received regarding export of contraband goods, through Green Channel, under the garb of salt and handicrafts.
The dubious consignment was stuffed in a container booked for Hong Kong. During scrutiny of documents it was revealed that the consignment containing donkey hides, falsely declared as salt and handicrafts, was exported by Khan Traders, a company having office at Qaumi Market, Torkham, Landikotal, to consignee Kashmir Kashamai Ltd Charter Win International Logistics Limited Jockey Club Road Hong Kong.
The shipment, stuffed in a container belonging to Emirates Shipping Line, was booked through Kiwi Traders. The vessel headed to Hong Kong, China.
The FIR stated that information regarding concealment of contraband goods was shared with the shipping line. A request to Emirates Shipping Line through shipping agent Allied Logistic was made and the shipping line replied that efforts were being made to bring back the container but on the contrary it informed via email dated August 18 that the container could not be returned back and the same had reached the Hong Kong port.
The same information was forwarded to Hong Kong Customs to conduct examination at port of destination.
Meanwhile, Drug Liaison Office of UNODC was requested to witness the examination and share its report on the recovery of goods from the said container.
Resultantly, on August 26, Drug Liaison Office of UNODC shared details of recovery from the said container which reached Hong Kong from Karachi under Bill of Lading NoEPIRPKALSL201934.
The report confirmed that total of 9,650kgs of donkey skins were recovered from the container booked by Khan Traders, Qaumi Market, Tortham, Khyber Landikotal, to consignee Charter Win International Logistics Limited, Jockey Club Road Sheung Shui NT, Hong Kong vide Goods Declaration NoKPEX-SB-14296-06-08-2022.
Subsequently, the smuggling of donkey hides was foiled by Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department on the information of Collectorate of Customs, Export, Custom House, Karachi.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2022.
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