October 31, 2007	Wednesday	Shawwal 18, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 30: The customs authorities have unearthed a gang involved in getting imported vehicles cleared without payment of duty and taxes under the guise of exemption available to diplomats, official sources disclosed on Tuesday.

Although the members of the gang are absconding, the authorities are claiming to have located their places and offices.

According to an investigation carried out by the Appraisement Intelligence Branch (AIB) of customs, Karachi, the gang had been importing stolen vehicles from the UK and fraudulently using diplomatic concessions through their authorised clearing agent.Sources said the AIB observed strict surveillance of the suspected imports after it had received information about the clearance of vehicles under the garb of diplomatic immunity.

A suspected vehicle, Toyota Hilux Surf (chassis No KZN 130-9056776 and engine No 1KZ TE) was kept under surveillance by the AIB team.

In subsequent developments, a shipping line informed the customs about the arrival of the vehicle under Bill of Lading No. APLU075074743 (Sept 7, 2007) issued in favour of a diplomat of the Royal Embassy of Switzerland, Islamabad.

However, the embassy disowned the shipment and informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that someone had tried to use its name with mala fide intentions and as such the matter should be investigated.

The ministry approached the customs authorities and sought their help to investigate the matter.

Since the clearance of the aforesaid vehicle was under strict surveillance and after receipt of “disclaimer” from the embassy, duly endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is the only regulatory authority for granting diplomatic concessions, the pace of investigation was geared up, and the consignment was blocked on the computer.

Sensing intervention of the AIB in the clearance, the gang manipulated the bill of lading and changed the name of the consignee to a person belonging to the Royal Netherlands embassy.

However, they notified party’s name as Mr S. Khan, with a residential address in Rawalpindi.

As a result of the change in the B/L and revised notification, it became clear to the customs that someone with the name of S. Khan was involved in the import of stolen vehicles.

As a customs team, headed by principal appraiser Shafiullah and assisted by investigation officer Anwar Zaib, continued the probe, the authorities received a fax message from the UK intimating that the vehicle had been stolen and a theft report had been lodged in the UK with the Strathclyde Police and that the vehicle had been exported to Pakistan.

The customs authorities blocked the clearance of the vehicle and after a scrutiny of import documents it transpired that the name of the shipper and exporter was Mr S. Khan.

The customs authorities believe that S. Khan was involved in import of stolen vehicles and was illegally getting diplomatic immunity from customs duty and taxes.

Sources said that the quantum of such illegal imports was yet to be verified and it was suspected that many goods and commodities were also being imported in a similar manner, causing huge revenue loss to the national exchequer.