The Department of Plant Protection (DPP) has once again come under scrutiny after officials allegedly issued several manual release orders for a consignment of betel nuts currently being held by the Customs Exports Collectorate at Port Qasim, BR reported.
The shipment, valued at Rs 73.618 million, belonged to a Karachi-based company and was flagged by customs authorities following intelligence reports, which prompted them to stop its clearance.
The betel nuts in question were exposed to excessive moisture during their journey at sea, raising concerns about possible contamination with aflatoxins. These toxins, produced by fungal strains such as Aspergillus, can be harmful to health when consumed, especially when their levels exceed safety limits due to prolonged exposure during shipping.Â
Sources said that such exposure during lengthy sea voyages could significantly elevate the risk of contamination, rendering the nuts unsafe for consumption.
Despite the health risks, the Department of Plant Protection has reportedly made multiple attempts to secure the release of these goods, raising concerns among customs officials about the department’s handling of the situation.Â
Sources also revealed that the manual release orders, which bypassed the WeBOC system, an online platform for customs clearance, have further intensified transparency issues.
The incident has highlighted potential regulatory shortcomings in the import process, particularly in ensuring that imports into the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) are safe and meet health standards.
