Customs uncover Rs277m import fraud

Misdeclaration detected in consignment bound for Risalpur EPZ

KARACHI:

A suspected import fraud involving goods worth Rs277 million has been unearthed at Karachi port, where Customs officials detected a major discrepancy between the items declared in shipping documents and those actually found inside a consignment destined for the Risalpur Export Processing Zone (EPZ).

The Directorate General of Customs Transit Trade Karachi detected the misdeclaration during a physical examination of a suspicious consignment, revealing that high-value goods, including load cells, perfumes and cosmetics, had allegedly been imported under the guise of artificial flowers, machinery parts and sprays.

According to Director General Transit Trade Irfan Javed, the importing company, M/s Blooming Buds Industries, had declared artificial flowers, machinery spare parts and sprays in its Goods Declaration (GD) submitted to the Customs Department.

However, a physical inspection by Directorate officials revealed a significant mismatch between the declared goods and the actual contents of the consignment.

Officials said the company's EPZ licence was also approved for the manufacture and export of artificial flowers and plants, raising further questions about the nature of the imported goods and their intended use.

The misdeclaration was allegedly aimed at evading customs duties and taxes amounting to Rs108 million, officials added.