ATT consignment installed with tracking device looted; utility of tracking company becomes questionable KARACHI: As the disappearance and theft of import consignments particularly the Afghan Transit Trade (ATT) containers has been a cause of concern for the authorities, the series of events have raised questions about the efficiency and performance of tracking companies. In a recent event, one ATT trailer carrying container filled with textile fabric went off the grid for some time and later it was found empty. Although the consignment was fitted with the tracking device, but still the theft of goods worth millions of rupees could not be prevented. In addition, the government was also deprived of revenue in terms of duties and taxes. According to details of the case, on August 30, 2013, a container installed with the tracking device containing 321 bales of textile fabric meant for Afghan Transit Trade passed out from Karachi international container terminal (KICT) for onward destination towards Chaman. A door alert alarm was received by the tracking company control room at Customs House Karachi, from the vicinity of Abdullah Ahmed Road, shershah. The tracking company M/s TPL (Pvt) Ltd accordingly informed the customs authorities regarding the incident. The control room tries to contact the driver but the contact was not established. Later in the morning of August 1, 2013, the mobile enforcement unit of the enforcement staff moved at the designated place as pointed by the tracking company. The tracking company staff pointed out a place nearby shershah, M/s Ahmed Textile and Dying Mills, but no clue was found there regarding the container. Then, another place was pointed out M/s Ameer Ali Steel Factory, shershah but also nothing was found. As on September 01, 2013, the tracking company informed that the container had been found near Nazimabad No. 03 but the container was emptied. Preliminary investigation conducted revealed that prime moving device (PMD) and container security device (CSD) installed by M/s TPL stopped signaling/reporting at 10:15am on August 31, 2013. The incident which took place was not accidental but was well engineered and pre-planned. Sources said that though, it seemed to be a regular theft/robbery incident but there were several questions which were still unanswered. Sources argued that as the tracking company received container door alarm, the vehicle should have been jammed at the very spot, but it kept moving. Another thing is that as soon as the alarm was received, the mobile enforcement unit should have rushed to the spot, but it was delayed. And the most importantly, the devices/gadgets installed by the tracking company stopped reporting as per the preliminary investigation report, which is a question mark on the efficiency of the tracking device as well as the performance of the company. The Tracking and Monitoring of Cargo Rules, 2012 define that it is the responsibility of the tracking company to maintain en-route integrity of cargo by preventing pilferage or theft or losses, monitoring timely deliveries and reporting on transport efficiencies, vehicle immobilization and securing as and when required and mandatory in case of geo-fencing violation, pilferage attempts, unauthorized or unusual stoppage. It may be mentioned here that the tracking device/gadgets are installed in the vehicle as well as in the container in the presence of vehicle driver, which is quite illogical. The FIR lodged by the Customs notes that in the light of foregoing facts it is so far established that the culprits made a willful attempt to pilferage the goods without payment of duty/taxes to the tune of Rs9.5 million, which were meant for ATT from the container under the cover of a fabricated story of snatching and subsequent recovery of empty container and the vehicle. Sources said that similar incidents of evading duty/taxes were already in vogue and it was not a new thing, but it the same went on, what was the utility of tracking company.
Posted on: Thu, 26 Sep 2013 06:20:44 +0000
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