The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has empowered the Directorate-General, Intelligence and Investigation (I&I), and DG, Inspection and Internal Audit, to access data of importers/exporters under 'One Customs Project', and consignments data available with the Customs Administrative Reform Project (CARE) would soon be made available to both these agencies.
Official sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday that the decision would be instrumental in checking the growing phenomenon of misdeclaration and corruption by customs officials at ports and customs stations. There is need of effective monitoring of the consignments cleared through 'One Customs Project' and CARE program.
Both investigation agencies have been given access to information on transactions carried out under these clearance systems. DG, Intelligence has been empowered to examine the importers/exporters data to unearth cases of under-valuation with a watchful eye on customs officials engaged in the clearance process.
In the first phase, both directorates would check the import/export clearance made through 'One Customs'. In the next stage, the directorates would be in a position to monitor the consignments cleared under CARE project.
Officials said that the step has been taken to totally eliminate any chance of corruption at ports. At present, importers/exporters are engaged in clearance of consignments either through 'One Customs' or CARE project. But absence of proper monitoring system has increased the chances of misdeclaration.
Secondly, clearance of consignments under CARE is based on self-assessment, which needs strong backing by audit and verification of information declared by the importers/exporters.
The authenticity of declared information would be verified by these two agencies. This would also end the connivance of customs officials in different scams reported from time to time.
It has been decided to allow the DG, Intelligence and Investigation to monitor the consignments cleared under CARE to avert cases of mis-declaration. In this regard, CBR would soon give online link to the directorates, officials said.