KARACHI, Sept 18: A division bench of the Sindh High Court, comprising Justice S. A. Sarwana and Justice Mohammed Mujeebullah Siddiqui, on Wednesday allowed three identical constitutional petitions filed by Apex International Business, Al-Tajjar and Company and N. B. Trading Company.

The petitioners challenged the confiscation of two consignments by Customs Collectorate Karachi on charge of misdeclaration.

According to details, the Apex International imported two consignments containing waste paper of all sorts and other miscellaneous goods from Dubai.

The goods were destined to Faisalabad Dry Port via Karachi. The goods were duly released from Karachi Port for transshipment to its final destination through the Al-Tajjar (Ltd), bonded cargo carriers while it was duly sealed as per requirement under the Customs laws.

The consignments were intercepted on an information by the Intelligence and Investigation Unit of Customs and taken to the office of the Senior Preventive Officer.

It was alleged that upon checking it was found that cargo contained contraband whereafter cases were registered against the proprietor, drivers of the trailers and other persons, including Choudhry Abid Saeed, Malik Ali Asghar, Abid Raza, Abdullah, Abdul Razzak, Syed Shams Barni, Tahir Sheikh, Tahir Shuja, Rizwan and Mohammed Tayyeb, proprietor of Apex International.

The petitioner were then charged before the Special Court, Customs and Taxation.

The petitioner later filed the three petitions.

The bench after hearing both the sides allowed the appeal directing the Customs officials to release the goods confiscated by them.—APP