KARACHI: Customs has confiscated a shipment of 64,000 Q-Mobile phones worth Rs350m imported by Digicom Trading Pvt Ltd.

These mobile phones were confiscated by MCC Preventive, which had been declared as LED lights for tax avoidance purposes and documentation had also been misstated.

Information of Collector preventive said mobile phones were being cleared in cover of LED lights via green channel and they were being transported to the warehouse.

ASO Preventive conducted a raid and during its search and seizure found one container in Saddar, Karachi. While examining the container, it contained that 64,000 mobile phones/tablets of Q-Mobile.

The remaining three containers are still being traced out and this consignment was said to have been imported from Jebel Ali by Digicom and was given clearance by KICT.

According to sources, Q-Mobile is trying to avoid documentation of the mobile phones/tablets they are importing and not reporting its subsequent sales. Also, markets are said to be full of illegally smuggled mobile phones and Karachi Electronic Dealers Association (KEDA) alongside other trade unions are said to be involved in this heinous practice.

In wake of the said information and on the directives of the Customs (Enforcement) South Karachi Chief Collector, Customs (Preventive) Karachi Collector constituted a team under the supervision of ADC/DC (ASO) to thwart such attempts.

The team after strict vigilance successfully intercepted a 40-feet container No. KKFU-725557-3 loaded on a trawler No. TLT-374 near Central Plaza, Mobile Market, Saddar, Karachi in the wee hours of November 01 2017.

On spot questioning confirmed the information that huge quantity of mobile phones in the container was brought into the country without payment of leviable duty/taxes.

In absence of any proof of legal import thereof the said container, laden on a vehicle, was escorted to ASO (HQ) at NMB Wharf, Karachi for further investigation and stocktaking.

As a result, the huge quantity of goods, valuing Rs 284 million (approx) were recovered and seized.