KARACHI: Model Customs Collectorate (MCC), Appraisement West has booked the staff of Karachi International Containers Terminal Limited (KICTL) over illegal delivery of confiscated betel nuts worth Rs 104.88 million through container number, seal & record tempering.

According to an FIR, the MCC Appraisement West during examination of destroyable goods i.e. betel nuts stuffed in five containers found assorted sizes of marble slabs in three containers out of five. The department after thorough inspection of the containers came to know that containers numbers printed inside and outside were different.

Reacting to it, the KICTL was asked to provide relevant data of the container numbers printed inside these containers from the system. The terminal operators confirmed that all containers with these inside numbers have been gated out, which were imported by another importer.

The FIR said that the above three containers containing betel nuts have been fraudulently removed from the terminal by tampering the container numbers of the currently lying containers of unpolished granite marble slabs with active connivance of the importers, staff of KICTL along with transporters. The total quantity of betel nuts in all three containers was 132250 kilograms and the value is estimated to be Rs 104.88 million and the duty and taxes is calculated to be Rs73.2 million. Raids are being carried out to nab the nominated persons while no report has so far received regarding their bails till filing of this report.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020