Goods imported to evade Tk48 lakh in duty seized

Chattogram Custom House officials on Thursday said they had seized a shipment that the importer used to import undeclared goods in order to evade Tk48 lakh in customs revenues.

However, Shamim Khan, director of the importer Leo Fashion Limited, denied any wrongdoing.

He claimed that the exporter Shaoxing Hunag Ming Xiu, a Chinese company, had sent a wrong shipment.

The Audit Investigation and Research (AIR) unit of Chattogram Custom House suspended the release of the shipment after physically examining its contents.

AIR Deputy Commissioner Nur Uddin Milon said the importer made a bill of entry on September 23, declaring the import of 20,550 kilogrammes of 100 percent polyester fabrics.

However, after examining the goods, the AIR found five tonnes (4,535 kilogrammes) of polyester fabrics matching the declaration and 21 tonnes (19,050 kilogrammes) of undeclared polyester fabrics used in burqa.

A case was filed under the customs law for the attempt to evade Tk48 lakh in customs revenues.

Khasrul Alam Khan, managing director of AFT Logistics Limited which is the C&F (Clearing and Forwarding) agent of the importer, said, "We are a C&F agent. We do not know what a shipment contains."

"Since the importer submits the bill of entry, it is responsible for what the shipment contains," he added.

On November 27, Star Alliance imported chocolate, energy drinks and wafers in the name of kidney beans and sweet corns.

Customs officials said it was an attempt to evade Tk80 lakh in customs revenues.