KARACHI: The Model Customs Collectorate Appraisement-West has made Contravention Report (CR) against the importer M/s ICI Pakistan in its alleged involvement of taking undue advantage of SRO1125/2011 in clearance of huge quantity of chemical namely “WANNATE 8019”. The Appraising Intelligence Branch (AIB) on the directions of authorities concerned of MCC Appraisement-West has made the report and forwarded the same to the adjudicating authorities for further legal proceedings.
AIB stated in the report that the importer M/s ICI Pakistan has involved in violating Section 32(1)(2), 32-A, 79(1)(b) and 80 of the Customs Act, 1969, Section 6,11 and 36 read with Section 7A of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 and Section 148 and 161(2) of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 punishable under clauses 14 and 14 A of the Section 156(I) of the Customs Act, 1969 read with Section 33, 34 and 36 of the Sales Tax 1990 and Section 148 of the Income Tax Ordinance.
AIB of MCC Appraisement-West in the month of November found that the importer M/s ICI Pakistan was involved in clearance of “WANNATE 8019 chemical through Goods Declaration (GDs) under PCT Heading 3909.5000 which was not appropriate, as per Customs officials, in the clearance of the said chemical. AIB issued short revenue recovery demand notice of approximately worth Rs 10 million against the importer M/s ICI Pakistan, which was challenged by the importer in Sindh High Court.
The importer has already requested the Collector MCC Appraisement-West Muhammad Saleem to re-asses the cleared consignment and send those samples for laboratory test. Considering the request of aggrieved party, the Collector asked the concerned authorities to send the samples of cleared goods for laboratory test. Whereas test report of HEJ Laboratory endorsed the view point of Custom authorities and found that the cleared consignments did not fall under declared PCT Heading 3909.5000.
Meanwhile, SHC has also rejected the petition of importer M/s ICI Pakistan, last week and asked the Customs authorities to carry on its lawful procedures according with the Customs Act, 1969.
The sources informed Customs Today that the Adjudicating authorities will serve the show-cause notice to the importer M/s ICI Pakistan in order to clear his stance over the contravention report made by MCC Appraisement-West.