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LAHORE – The Customs Collectorate Apraisement Lahore unearthed Rs 208.72 million tax fraud on 51 imported consignments of four years.
In the FIR, Customs authorities accused that Customs Clearing Agent Messers Akram Associates in connivance with importer Massers Hussain Cane (PVT) Limited has been involved in mis-declaration and getting cleared imported Electrolytic Tin Plate and other steel sheets in the name Quality Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets.
It was disclosed that the clearing agent used to exchange samples of imported items before laboratory examination in order to attain reports favouring his cause of mis-declaration. According to the importer, the Electrical Silicon Sheet is used in tin containers to preserve food items. On the other hand, the Customs Department discovered that the sheet was not Quality Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets but Electrolytic Tin Plate. The Customs Department sent the imported sample of the imported sheet to Industrial & Analytical Centre HEJ Lab Karachi and Assaying Hallmark Laboratories Lahore to know whether the sheet was Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets or not. Both the laboratories confirmed that the sheet was not Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets but ETP.
Furthermore, the department contacted Ameritin International USA from where the importer had imported the consignment. The reply of the US company to the Customs Department also made it clear that the sheet was not Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets but Electrolytic Tin Plate.
According to the Customs Department, the importer was given the chance to explain his side of the story. Nevertheless, he filed incomplete reply without solid and sufficient evidence to prove his innocence. Investigations have proved that Massers Hassan Cane has been importing tons of ETP which instead of Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets make containers to preserve food stuffs, the Department stated. The Customs Department also disclosed that the import of ETP has been reduced to a significant level while Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets increased manifolds in four years which confirmed that the importer had been importing ETP instead of Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets.
Moreover, the Customs Department discovered that the importer after he was exposed gave up the import of Electrical Silicon Steel Sheets in the name of Electrolytic Tin Plate at the Lahore Dry Port. However, he cleared a few consignment of ETP under code HS at the Karachi Dry Port. According to the Customs Department, the importer has committed a mega fraud of Rs 208.72 million to the national exchequer punishable under various sections of Customs, Sales Tax and Income Tax acts. The sources in the Customs Department informed the importer has attained interim bail from the court of law and has filed writ petition for quashment of the FIR. On the other hand, the Customs authorities have arrested one of the accused.