MULTAN: The Customs Adjudication has issued an Order-in-Original (ONO) in a mis-declaration case against Saim Mobeen Food Makers Company and declared the confiscation of items made by customs, outright.
Collector Customs Adjudication Saleem Ahmad Ranjha has issued the ONO No.691 against SM Food which was found in tax evasion of Rs 4.7 million on import of consignment.
As per details, Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Multan range had seized the consignment of SM Food Makers Company imported from Austria on the basis of mis-declaration at the time of clearance.
SM Food evaded duty/taxes while the clearance of Austrian-origin carbon steel sheets (parts of industrial oven) through gross under-invoicing with the connivance of clearing agent.
The imported consignment was cleared with the invoice value of 12,700 Euro and the goods declaration was declared by the importer through his clearing agent namely Sheikh Mehboob through One Custom system.
During the investigation into SM Food Makers case it revealed that accused have submitted bogus invoice to the Multan Dry Port Trust for the clearance of the said consignment. S.M Food Makers have declared goods at value of 12,700 Euros, while the actual worth of the items was 120,700 Euros.
S.M Food Makers have provided the forged invoice which reveals that length of each imported roll varies from roll to roll but the supplier sold the goods with significant difference of value in the same goods. However, the accused failed to provide any satisfactory explanation on the submitted invoice in the hearing.
While verifying the import invoices of importer from Karachi, intelligence also received a report regarding the mis-declaration.
In the case the total value of tax evasion was estimated at Rs 4.7 million on which Customs Intelligence lodged a case against the owner and manager of SM Food Company under Section 168 of Customs Act, 1969 punishable under Section 156(1) ,9 ,14, 14-A.
The owner of SM Food, Zulfiqar Anjum and Manager Waseem Shehzad had granted a bail on the submission of principal amount on the willingness to pay taxes before the court was also an admission of their under invoicing. S.M Food Maker has also admitted in the court that the gross mis-declaration and manipulation has been committed by the importer, besides asking the Customs Adjudication to issue decision in the favour of customs to protect the legitimate state revenue in the case.
Due to sufficient evidence provided by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation against the SM Food confirm the standpoint of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation.
In his decision, Collector Customs Adjudication Saleem Ahmad Ranjha has declared the confiscation of goods valid beyond any doubts under clauses 14 and 14-A of Section 156(1) of the Customs Act 1969. An option has also been given to the accused in the case under SRO 499(i) to get release their seized goods after the payment of redemption fine equivalent to 35 percent of the differential amount assessed by the Multan Dry Port.