MCC Lahore recovers Rs 549 million from Sh Nooruddin & Sons

The Collectorate of Customs Appraisement (MCC) Lahore has recovered Rs 549 million from Sh Nooruddin & Sons involved in misusing of SRO 326 and 327 (I) 2018 under the export-oriented license No. 08/LHR/EOU/2008, said sources. The said company was importing duty-free raw material under the export-oriented scheme and selling the manufactured goods illegally to the local market and government departments.
Collector Customs Appraisement (MCC) Lahore Jamil Nasir confirmed the recovery and added that an investigation team comprising of five officials to investigate the matter. The Collectorate had also lodged First Information Report (FIR) and the accused had obtained protective bail from the Islamabad High Court until September 18, 2018.
The sources said the Collectorate had got information through an informer that the company was misusing the exemption available under the export-oriented scheme and supplying gunji kits, mosquito net, tarpaulin and family tents to the food department, M/s PASSCO Lahore and NDMA out of the material imported under the duty-free scheme for the purpose of exporting the goods manufactured. The sources said M/s Haji Sh Nooruddin & Sons had set up another company with the name of M/s Zee Logistics Lahore to sell products manufactured with raw material imported under the export-oriented scheme. This act on the part of the company has caused millions of rupees loss to the national exchequer under the head of customs duty and other levies. This is also a violation of the undertaking submitted to the Customs Collectorate that no product manufactured through raw material would be sold in the local market and all of them would be exported.
They said a complete audit of the scam was followed by a recovery of an amount of Rs 495 million. Meanwhile, the Input Output Coefficient Organisation was determining the wastage claimed by the company.
They added that the company had also pledged the duty-free raw material with a local bank, which is not allowed under the terms and conditions of the license.
According to the Collectorate sources, the company license has been suspended which would be followed by cancellation after investigation through a due process of law. They said four directors of the company have joined investigations on Thursday. However, the main nominated accused Farhan has not joined investigations yet, they added.