Sources said that Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (Customs), FBR Peshawar, has shown increase of 194 percent in actions (anti-evasion) against smugglers during August 2018 as compared to August 2017, as a result of multiple anti-smuggling operations.
The actions have been intensified against smugglers since assumption of charge by Dr Arsalan Subuctageen as Director of Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation, Peshawar. He took practical steps to control the menace of smuggling in the said areas specially Hayatabad Karkhano Market Peshawar.
The revenue realization of the Customs Intelligence Peshawar has increased by 15 percent. The anti-smuggling performance has been improved by 38 percent in August 2018 as compared to August 2017.
In continuation of the ongoing campaign against smuggling, another seizure of miscellaneous goods by Peshawar Customs Intelligence, worth Rs 12.5 million, was made on information of Dr Arsalan, Director I&I Peshawar, in quick succession.
The Directorate received credible information on 09.09.2018 that an attempt would be made to smuggle huge quantity of foreign origin miscellaneous goods to down country from Peshawar. In anticipation, the ASO staff of this office with the assistance of local police identified the vehicle on GT Road, Peshawar, which was signaled to stop. The suspected bus bearing registration No Z-6383 (Peshawar) coming from Peshawar side sped up which was chased. After some distance, the vehicle was found abandoned on the roadside near Chamkani. The ASO staff conducted on spot search and found foreign origin miscellaneous goods stuffed in the vehicle. The bus along with goods was brought to the office premises of this Directorate, where thorough search led to the recovery of foreign origin miscellaneous goods.
The offending goods along with vehicle have been seized for violation of the provisions of the Customs Act, 1969. The estimated value of the afore-referred goods and vehicle is Rs 12.25 million (goods Rs 7.25 million and vehicles Rs 3 million). An FIR has been lodged and further investigation is underway.
Under another anti-smuggling operation, information was received through the Director, Intelligence and Investigation FBR, Peshawar, that M/A Ayaan Enterprises, office No SF-312, Deans Trade Center, Islamia Road, Peshawar, is involved in evasion of huge duty/taxes by means of misdeclaration of value on account of suppression of freight charges during the period form September 2016 to March 2017. As per information, on scrutiny of import documents of imported goods from Peshawar Airport, it revealed that the importer imported the mobile accessories and other goods from China and did not pay the duty and taxes after inclusion of freight charges in assessable value. Freight charges were paid by the importer through Master Airway Bill (MAWB) for transportation the goods from China to Peshawar. As per import documents, the following discrepancies were found:
As per Master Airway Bills of 37 consignments, freight paid to the carrier was CNY 2,386,013 (US $344,868) for the imported mobile phone pouches, mobile phone protector and other goods (87,915 kg) but duty taxes were not paid after inclusion of freight charges.
Most of the quantities imported consisted of pouches for mobile phones and their value was declared/assessed without inclusion of freight charges as per VRN 908 dated 12.08.2016. As per valuation ruling, the value of mobile phone pouches was fixed @ US $0.10 and the assessing officer appraised the same value and did not include the freight charges paid through MAWB. In para 8 of said Valuation Ruling it has been clearly stated that: "In case of consignments imported by air, the assessing officer shall take into account the differential between air freight and sea freight while applying the customs values determined in this ruling."
Whereas the assessing officer failed to take into account the differential between air freight and sea freight while assessing the value of pouches. Therefore the importer succeeded to clear the pouches at lower value and evaded huge amount of duty and taxes amounting to Rs 5,736,096. Average sea freight charges form China to Karachi are US $828 of 20 feet container comprising goods weight minimum 5000 kg and US $1,077 of 40 feet container comprising minimum goods weight 10,000 kg.
Similarly other imported items, ie, mobile phone protector, charger, hand free, empty packing, artificial jewellery, etc, of 37 consignments were also cleared at lower value.
Another latest action revealed that the Directorate of Peshawar had received credible information that an attempt would be made to smuggle huge quantity of foreign origin cloth to down country from Peshawar. In anticipation, the ASO staff of this office with the assistance of local police identified the vehicle on GT Road, Chamkani, Peshawar, and it was signaled to stop. The suspected Mazda Titan truck bearing Registration No. AKS 14-235 coming from Peshawar side sped up instead, which was chased. After some distance, the occupants of the vehicle abandoned the vehicle on roadside and decamped from the spot. The ASO staff conducted on-spot search and found foreign origin cloth stuffed in the vehicle. The truck along with goods was brought to the premises of the Customs Intelligence, Peshawar, where thorough search led to the recovery of foreign origin cloth measuring 33,446 yards. The offending goods along with vehicle have been seized for violation of the provisions of the Customs Act 1969. The estimated value of the afore-referred seized goods and vehicle is Rs 13.93 million (goods; Rs 11.93 million and vehicle Rs 2 million). AN FIR has been lodged and further investigation is underway.
It is learnt that under instructions from the Director Intelligence and Investigation-FBR, Peshawar, the campaign against smuggling of narcotics was geared up. A piece of information was received to the effect that a sizeable quantity of narcotics would be smuggled from tribal area towards down country in a pickup vehicle. In pursuance of the said information, the staff of this Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (Customs)-FBR, Peshawar, held a secret checkpoint near Chamkani, GT Road, district Peshawar.
The suspected Toyota Hilux pickup bearing registration LES-07-4219 was spotted coming from Peshawar side. It was signaled to stop but the driver, ignored the signal and sped away. On chasing the same, the driver of the vehicle abandoned his vehicle and decamped from the spot.
The vehicle was searched on spot by the staff of Drug Cell and contraband (hashish and opium) tactfully concealed in secret cavities, into the floor of vehicle, was found. The vehicle was then brought to the premises of the Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (Customs)-FBR, Peshawar, where thorough search led to the recovery of 64-kg hashish (gross) and 18-kg opium (gross), which has been seized along with carrier vehicle. The estimated value of the aforementioned seized narcotics and vehicle is around Rs12 million (narcotics; Rs 9 million and vehicle; Rs 4 million). An FIR has been lodged against unknown driver/ persons and further investigation is under way.