Customs seizes ISAF containers

KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has confiscated some containers of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to be re-exported to Germany and which contain goods not declared in the export documents, said a top official on Friday.
Director Customs Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Karachi Asif Marghoob Siddiqui, addressing a press conference, said 18 containers belonging to the ISAF were awaiting clearance at the Port Qasim collectorate to re-export to Germany.
Siddiqui said some of the containers contained hazardous elements.
“Containers lying at Port Qasim (Exports) Collectorate for the last four months were not actually being exported,” he said.
He said the directorate had taken into custody of 17 containers during an operation conducted between Thursday and Friday night on the information received from the director general Lutfullah Virk.
He added that one container, blocked by the anti-narcotic force, was not impounded.
An FIR has been lodged and further investigation is underway.
According to him, the containers of retro cargo belonging to the ISAF contained goods other than those for which declaration was made in the export documents of customs.
Siddiqui said a team of Customs officials, led by Additional Director Nadeem Ahsan and Assistant Director Kaleemullah, has been constituted.
During the visit, the containers were found present at the Collectoarte.
Bonded carrier and clearing agents were summoned and asked to explain the reason why the said containers were not exported.
He added that they could not provide a satisfactory explanation.
According to the export declaration, batteries and tube lights filled with acid were declared in eight containers.
However, physical examination revealed that wooden pallets and concrete bricks were actually loaded in them.
This proved that actual goods to be exported were removed and pilfered.
These eight containers were seized after fulfilling the legal formalities under the Customs Act, 1969, Siddiqui said.
He further said ISAF goods were sent from Torkham Custom Station, Peshawar Customs House and were to be re-exported to Germany through Port Qasim (Exports) Collectorate, Karachi by bonded carrier Port Connection (Pvt) Limited.
Representatives of bonded carrier have been arrested and more arrests are expected.
The director I&I said nine containers, having drums full of hazardous materials, were also taken into custody and would be examined with the help of concerned department under the safety standards.
Sources in the directorate told The News that the officials of export collectorate at Port Qasim are under scrutiny. Previously, the collectorate had cleared 13 consignments, which reached Germany without the actual description of goods.