The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has sought Director General Intelligence and Investigation help in obtaining data on the quantity of confiscated infected betel nuts consignments and their legal status of cases against the parties who imported these consignments. In this regard, the CBR on Sunday issued instructions to Director General Intelligence and Investigation, Customs and Excise, Islamabad to submit details of confiscated betel nuts consignments including those not fit for human consumption.
DG Intelligence is compiling data on the cases subjudice before the adjudication, appellate forum and courts including High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The CBR has also asked the directorate to submit details about the number of consignments, number of containers, details of importers and total quantity of betel nuts in metric tons.
Sources said that the CBR has recently given facility to the importers of seized betel nut to re-export the consignments under customs general order (CGO) 14 of 2004. However, the Board was unaware about the actual status and details of these consignments. This exercise will help the CBR in compiling details of importers who would be eligible to avail of the benefit of CGO 14 of 2004.
The data of the directorate will help the tax authorities in identifying cases where cases are pending with the higher judicial fora.
The owners of the consignments, which are not under-adjudication and those, which are pending adjudication have been given the option to re-export these consignments with the condition to bound the owners of re-export those to the foreign destinations except Afghanistan and UAE without taking the same out of the Port Area/Custom Area etc.
The consignments for which the confiscation have been up-held by the Appellate Tribunal level may be reopened under Section 195 of the Custom Act, 1969 and then the owners be allowed to re-export these consignments to the foreign destinations.
The consignments for which the confiscation have been upheld by the Appellate Tribunal may be auctioned with the condition to bound successful bidders to re-export these consignments to the foreign destinations except Afghanistan and UAE without taking the same out of the Port Area/Custom Area etc.
The consignments confiscated on account of smuggling may also be allowed to be auctioned with the condition to bound successful bidders to re-export these consignments to the foreign destinations.