KARACHI: The Model Customs Collectorate (MCC) Appraisement-East has detected a scam in which the national exchequer is being inflicted heavy loss by the unscrupulous elements with the connivance of Customs officials. The automated clearance system has proved to be a success for the corrupt quarters and a disaster for the government revenues as well as the society as it lacks stringent check and balance mechanism regarding imports. The automated clearance system has given unlimited powers to the Customs officials without checks resulting in some serious corruption. It is to be mentioned here that all the import consignments are required to contain a copy of original invoice mentioning the value of the goods. This mechanism was framed to curb flying invoices vis-à-vis under-invoicing or over-invoicing. In case, the copy of invoice is not found in the container attached to the imported goods, a fine is imposed on the importer and the consignment is cleared. Surprisingly, the fine for absence of the invoice is as meager as Rs5,000 only. Sources informed that scores of import consignment are cleared every month on flying invoices submitted by the importer and the original invoice in the container is removed with the help of officials. The national exchequer is being inflicted heavy loss as the goods are cleared on flying invoices mentioning the value of goods much less than the actual value i.e. under-invoicing. Sources said that the examiners usually remove the invoice in the container for a bribe of Rs25-30 thousand and impose a fine of Rs5,000 while the importer evades millions of rupees of duties/taxes through under-invoicing. This practice is on for a long time in the automated system at all the containers terminals including Qasim International Container Terminal (QICT), Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) and Pakistan International Container Terminal (PICT). MCC Appraisement-East has detected one such case and duty-off one Examiner, Shafqat gondal, who removed the invoice in the container. The user ID of the said examiner has also been suspended and an explanation has been called in this regard. The sources said that this was just one instance; the use of flying invoices or fake invoices was very much in vogue and hundreds of consignments were being cleared on fake invoices, all with the help of Customs officials in the automated clearance system. This system has accorded power to assistant collectors and appraisers to reject the examination of consignments and such consignments are directly assessed and cleared. Recently, 15-tonnes of acetic anhydride, a chemical used in the making of heroine, was seized in a joint action by Customs Intelligence and Anti-Narcotic Force (ANF), which had been cleared without examination. Actually this consignment was heading to Afghanistan but as all the ATT cargo is examined, this chemicals was cleared from Rawalpindi dry port where the officials rejected its examination.
Posted on: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 08:01:30 +0000
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