MULTAN: Customs Intelligence officials have made the contravention report against three customs employees for their alleged involvement in helping an importer of auto parts evade customs duty.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation intercepted a loaded container of Bilal Automobiles from Maitla Chowk. The consignment of auto parts included genuine air filters of assorted models of Honda and Toyota, which were cleared from the Muhammad Bin Qasim Port.
The seized consignment also included body parts of vehicles, including hood, trunks, gutters and panels. The seized consignment was of Japanese and Chinese origin, and they were en route to Lahore.
During investigation, Customs Intelligence in Multan found that the customs duty assessed by Port Qasim staff at the time of clearance of auto parts was Rs 1.120 million, while the customs duty assessed by the Multan customs dry port authorities was almost Rs 3.173 million.
The difference in the assessment of customs duty was almost 2.053 million.
After the detection of wrong assessment of duty from Port Qasim staff, Customs Intelligence lodged a case against the staff, including Port Muhammad Bin Qasim Examiner Syed Hammad, Appraiser Imtiaz Hussain Khan and Principal Appraiser Safdar Abbas.
The Customs Intelligence revealed that customs staff had assessed the duty of auto parts without examination, and they had deliberately cleared the consignment.
The Customs Intelligence made a strong charge sheet against the three staff members for their corruption.
Due to the staff’s intentional negligence, they were suspended from duty and are facing a case along with departmental inquiry against them.