The FBR has started an inquiry into senior customs officials over their alleged involvement in the attempted clearance of banned goods under the Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS). The investigation includes an Additional Collector, a Deputy Collector, and several other customs officers linked to the processing of the consignments.
According to official documents, the Collectorate of Customs (Enforcement), Karachi has recommended an immediate inquiry into officials serving at the Collectorate of Customs (Appraisement West). The recommendation covers appraising officers, scanning officials, and supervisory staff who handled the import consignments before they were approved for clearance.
An incident report has also been prepared, pointing to the possible involvement of customs officials. The FBR will examine whether all legal procedures were properly followed during the assessment and clearance process.
The imported consignments were declared as compressor scrap, aluminum condenser scrap, iron and steel remeltable scrap, recoverable copper, and other scrap materials. However, customs enforcement officials received intelligence suggesting that the declarations did not accurately describe the cargo.
Based on the information received, authorities blocked all four consignments at the Allama Iqbal International Container Terminal (AICT). The containers were stopped before they could leave the terminal through the gate-out process.
A physical examination later revealed that the containers mainly contained slightly used or nearly new window air conditioners, portable air conditioners, and dehumidifiers manufactured in Thailand. Only a limited quantity of the declared scrap materials was found inside the shipments.
The investigation also found that all four Goods Declarations (GDs) had been assigned to the Yellow Channel and scanned before clearance. In two cases, assessment officers approved the declarations without requesting a physical inspection of the cargo.
In the remaining two cases, assessment officers requested physical examinations. However, those requests were rejected by the competent Additional Collector or Deputy Collector. The officials reportedly cited the importer’s history of 587 previous Goods Declarations and instructed officers to rely on scanned images unless stronger reasons for inspection were available.
According to the incident report, the scanned images stored in the customs system allegedly showed that the cargo did not match the declared descriptions. Despite these concerns, all four consignments completed the assessment process and were approved for gate-out before enforcement officials intercepted them.
The FBR inquiry will also examine why approval under Section 79(1)(b) of the Customs Act, 1969, was granted. The provision allows goods to be examined before filing a Goods Declaration. Investigators will determine whether such an examination actually took place in this case.
Authorities have also requested approval to inspect seven additional 40-foot containers belonging to the same importer. These containers remain at AICT and have not yet been cleared. Officials believe they could provide further evidence relevant to the investigation.
The inquiry will also review the role of appraising officers, scanning staff, supervisory officials, and senior customs officers. Initial findings suggest that examination requests may have been rejected following telephonic instructions from a senior official.
In other related news also read FBR Revises Customs Valuation for Imported Auto Parts
The latest investigation reflects the FBR’s efforts to examine possible irregularities in customs procedures. The findings of the inquiry will determine whether any officials violated rules while processing the consignments under the Export Facilitation Scheme.
