The Collectorate of Customs (Exports) at Port Qasim has exposed a tax and duty evasion scheme worth Rs825 million, implicating a trading unit operating within the Export Processing Zone (EPZ).Â
A case has been registered against the company and its associates for alleged smuggling and misdeclaration of goods.
The investigation began with an audit of consignments imported by M/s Sardar Enterprises during the fiscal year 2023-24, following credible intelligence regarding the company’s activities. Customs officials discovered that the unit had exploited the exemptions provided to EPZ units, violating import regulations and engaging in tax fraud.
In January, two consignments imported by the company were flagged during routine checks. One consignment, falsely declared as containing mixed old and used LCD laptops, LCD panels, and computer components, was found to include used tablets and new keyboards—items prohibited under EPZ regulations.
The second consignment, declared as bales of cotton, was found to conceal 14,000 kilograms of cellulose acetate tow, another violation of EPZ import laws. These misdeclarations enabled the company to evade duties and taxes, causing substantial losses to the national treasury.
In response, Customs registered cases against the company’s directors, Javed Rasheed and Waqar Insha, and two clearing agents, Ahmed Shehzad Khan and Qurban Ali, associated with M/s Maryam Logistics. Two teams have been formed to apprehend the suspects as further investigations continue.
