The Model Custom Collectorate (MCC) has suspended eight custom appraisers on the charges of embezzlement in the import of recondition refrigerated vehicles.
Sources in Directorate Intelligence and Investigation (DII) told Business Recorder on Monday that evidences against custom appraisers had been proved in refrigerated vehicles scam during scrutinising the whole procedure of its import.
Elaborating details, they said that more than ten years older recondition vehicles was banned to import as per Custom Act. Contrary to Custom principals, suspended custom appraisers were cleared the shipment of recondition refrigerated vehicles through Custom Care System (CCS), which were more than ten years older models intended to earn more money.
Therefore, MCC has taken stern action against them and issued suspension order until they prove their innocence into the matter. When contacted Custom officials to discuss the issue, they confessed that corruption was skyrocketed in custom department but after the commencement of MCC, Custom examiners were being caught red-handed during any sort of manipulation in custom clearance process.
Therefore, department suspended eight custom appraisers including Muhammad Irshad, Ali Akbar, Abid Shah, Khalid Keyreo, Wazir Shah, Malik Akbar, Chaudry Muhammad Younus and Ghulam Murtaza Bungush over the charge to patronise the illegal import of refrigerated vehicles, they added.
They said that suspension order would be active till they prove their innocence into the matter and added that department would issue show cause notice to them, soon, which was a chance to convince high-ups for deactivate their suspension order.
"It will be very difficult for them to prove innocence in import refrigerated vehicles scam besides convincing concerned officials to cancel suspension order however, it would be a strong chance for issuing their termination orders from concerned officials," they said.
They cited that custom officials had no command to operate CSS efficiently and added that Federal Board of Revenue was not yet resolve errors in the system, which creates problems for importers besides providing a lucrative chance to officials for embezzling in computerised clearance process.