Pakistan Customs (Enforcement), Karachi, has registered an FIR against M/s Shareef Enterprises and its clearing agent, M/s Express Freight Links, for allegedly misdeclaring imported consignments as scrap to evade Rs47.95 million in customs duties and taxes.
According to the FIR, the importer declared four consignments from the United States under the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) as compressor scrap, iron and steel scrap, aluminium condenser scrap, and remeltable scrap, with a combined declared value of Rs21.93 million. Acting on intelligence, Customs intercepted the consignments after clearance and conducted a physical examination at the Al-Hamd International Container Terminal (AICT) in Karachi.
The inspection allegedly uncovered 897 new portable and window air conditioners, 113 dehumidifiers, and three used water dispensers, primarily of the Midea brand and originating from Thailand and China, concealed behind pallets of compressor scrap. Customs valued the recovered goods at Rs63.39 million, resulting in an alleged duty and tax evasion of Rs47.95 million.
The FIR alleges that the importer, in collusion with the clearing agent and other unidentified facilitators, deliberately concealed commercial goods under the cover of scrap imported through the EFS to avoid government taxes. Authorities have invoked relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1969, the Sales Tax Act, 1990, and the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.
The seized goods have been taken into custody under Section 168 of the Customs Act, while efforts are underway to arrest the nominated suspects. Customs said the investigation is continuing to identify other facilitators, including any public officials who may have been involved.
The case comes a day after the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) transferred Additional Collector Yawar Nawaz and Deputy Collector Aqsa Aslam over the alleged abuse of the Export Facilitation Scheme. Sources said the department has reportedly finalized a charge sheet against the two officials and forwarded it to senior Customs authorities.
