NBR seeks all C&F agent data within one month to prevent false declarations
The information of these agents will be entered into the NBR’s software
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has directed importers, exporters, and the C&F Agents Association to submit information on all clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents involved in clearing goods through ports to the customs authorities by 15 November to prevent false declarations.
The information of these agents will be entered into the NBR' Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) software. This will allow the customs authorities to easily identify any C&F agent of an importer. The NBR believes that this will stop imports and exports through fake bills of entry or export.
Importers and exporters who fail to add the information of their C&F agents to the software database within the next month will have their imports and exports stopped, according to a directive issued by the NBR on 15 October.
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A senior NBR customs official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that until now, any C&F agent could operate with an import-export agent. Under the new system, three C&F agents' names will be in the software database for each trader.
"As a result of this, false declaration in import and export will decrease a lot," he said.
The NBR launched this initiative last March, beginning with C&F agents who work under importers who import under bond facility.
According to the NBR's Customs Wing, there are 8,422 importers listed under the bond facility in the country. However, the total number of importers and exporters is over 20,000, and there are some 10,000 registered C&F agents. So far, the NBR has received C&F authorisation from 3,000 traders.
