A tax evasion and duties scandal involving millions of rupees was detected after the seizure of 14 imported containers.
Official sources said on Sunday that it was brought to notice of DG Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Lutfullah Virk, that a gang had been involved in a scandal of unlawful unloading of heavy duty imported goods with replacement of low duty goods by breaking the seals of containers at bonded career near Manga Mandi.
The DG, constituted a raiding team comprising Additional Director, Mohsin Rafiq, Deputy Director, Dr Rizwan Salabat, Superintendent Gulzar Butt, Intelligence Officers, Mian Muhammad Yasin, Zahid Saleem Mirza, SM Abass and Syed Amir Raza Rizvi under the supervision of Director, Intelligence Imtiaz Ali Khan.
The team chased an imported container No APHU-6944339 near Manga Mandi loaded on vehicle No P-8362 Peshawar 36-km away from here which was later taken to a bonded carrier “DOCKS Pvt” allegedly by an importer.
When the team reached the site, seals of the containers were broken illegally with rod cut and heavy duty imported electronic and auto parts goods were being allegedly replaced with low duty tissues, marble slabs, glass balls and clay.
On seeing the raiding team, all culprits escaped from the scene under shade of darkness. The entire goods were taken into custody after registration of a case against eight accused persons.
The modus operandi of the gang was that the imported containers on way to Lahore from Karachi after unloading and replacement were re-sealed properly and despatched to Lahore Dryport for examination and clearance after payment of nominal 5 per cent taxes and duties instead of 35 per cent.
On the basis of preliminary investigation, a total of 12 containers of the same alleged importer were detained at Lahore Dryport and one at Dryport Faisalabad.
Meanwhile, one of the intelligence officers of the raiding team, Mian Muhammad Yasin, received life threats. It is pertinent to add that Mian Muhammad Yasin also detected tax evasion of Rs 200 million last month from 57 imported containers.