Betel nuts seized: Over dozen persons booked for tampering with container number

The Model Customs Collectorate (MCC), Appraisement, West has booked over a dozen persons, including officials from Karachi International Containers Terminal (KICT) for their alleged involvement in releasing confiscated betel nuts through tampering of container number. According to an FIR, a credible information was received that some unscrupulous persons were attempting to get the delivery of confiscated container of betel nuts against a consignment of "used clothing" through tampering of container number.
Reacting to this information, the deputy collector, KICT Examination along with additional collector Examination rushed to KICT and spotted a consignment of 40-feet container bearing no TRLU6673667 which was ready for delivery at gate-out of the terminal. Resultantly, the said consignment was intercepted and taken to KICT scanner for scanning purpose.
During scanning, the staff informed that the same container of "used clothing" was already scanned on the instruction of customs examination staff and its scanned image was stored in the system. However, both the fresh as well as the earlier scanned images were found different from each other, which confirmed that the consignment was not the same as was required to be delivered by KICT.
Keeping the said in view, the container was grounded for examination, which revealed that the seal number affixed thereon was broken and the staff found betel nuts weighing 27.48 tons instead of "used clothing". Moreover, both container numbers printed inside and outside of the container was different.
The container no TRLU6673667 was printed on the outside of the front door of the container whereas the container no TRLU6678667 was also found printed inside. It was also observed that there was no sign of tampering of the container number printed inside, the digit "8" in container no TRLU6678667 appearing on front door, had been tempered and replaced with digit "3".
In fact the actual number of the intercepted container was not TRLU6673667 but TRLU6678667, which had already been confiscated on account of illegal import of "Betel Nuts" vide FIR No.17/2018 dated 01.10.2018. Consequent upon recovery of tampered container, further search was made to trace the container bearing the actual no TRLU6673667 and the same was found with its tempered number as TRLU6678667 (originally TRLU6673667), with the digit "3" replaced by the digit "8".
This container was also grounded and examined and "used clothing" weighing 12380kgs were found inside. Accordingly, container with actual no TRLU6673667 inside (but bearing tampered number TRLU6678667 outside) was seized under section 168 and 171 of the Customs Act, 1969 and Musheernama was prepared on the spot and notices were served upon the custodian KICT. During initial course of investigation, it was revealed that goods declaration was filed for container no TRLU6673667 (actual) by M/s QAARI TRADERS (NTN 7909912) on "self-clearance" basis and the same was selected for examination by WEBOC system in red channel. The container was examined and the used clothing, used shoes were found in it.
The goods declaration was completed by the assessing officer on the basis of examination report on applicable valuation ruling and the trader paid the additional duty/taxes through a PD account and the GD was released by WEBOC system and electronic message was communicated to the custodian KICT for delivery of the goods stuffed in container no TRLU6673667.
The FIR alleged that this import of consignment by M/s Qaari Traders was part of a conspiracy and a treacherous end-to-end plan from port of loading to port of clearance/destination to substitute it with an earlier seized and confiscated container of "Betel Nuts" in FIR No.17/2018 dated 01.10.2018, which, besides new entrants and players in the execution of the criminal plan, also shows the involvement of the accused persons in FIR No.17/2018 dated 01.10.2018.