The Quetta Customs collectorate, Sales Tax and Central Excise, foiled an attempt to sell thousands of liters of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) diesel, exempted from sales tax, in the market.
According to details received from Quetta, the Collectorate received an information that the tax-exempted high-speed diesel (HSD) being supplied by the PSO to the Saindak Export Processing Zone (EPZ) would be sold locally, and the supplies would be replaced by the Iranian origin smuggled HSD through Naukundi route.
On receipt of information, the Customs staff of the Naukundi check-post was alerted and intercepted a tanker No. TTA 133 bound for Saindak in the night of June 22.
On examination it transpired the seals affixed by the PSO had been manipulated and the same had been fabricated to avoid detection. The tanker was found full of 13,926 liters of Iranian diesel worth Rs 270,260 instead of 15,000 liters as mentioned in the PSO documents. The laboratory tests confirmed the diesel was not of Pakistan origin and been smuggled.
The Customs staff intercepted another tanker on the night of June 23 on the road, leading to Surab towards Dalbandin, which on examination was found that the seals affixed by the PSO were missing. The tanker was found empty instead of carrying 15,000 liters diesel as mentioned in the PSO documents. It had been destined for supply to the Saindak EPZ, was disposed off in the local market.
An amount of Rs 1,23,536 was evaded on account of zero-rated supply of the sales tax and petroleum surcharge by way of disposing the tax-free diesel in the local market.
Two separate FIRs have been registered against the persons involved in the commission of this tax fraud and smuggling of POL products, while four persons were arrested.