Pakistan Customs has seized a container carrying 25,430 kg of Cellulose Acetate Tow, a raw material used in cigarette manufacturing, after it was allegedly misdeclared as “Plastic Resin” at Karachi’s KICT.
The shipment, valued at around Rs. 40 million, was imported from Jebel Ali Port in the UAE. The goods were declared for onward movement from KICT to the Karachi Export Processing Zone (EPZ).
The shipment also contained a discrepancy in its documentation. While the consignment was declared for movement to EPZ Karachi, the electronic Bill of Lading listed the consignee’s address as EPZ Risalpur.
The container attracted suspicion during scanning at KICT. Customs blocked it on August 16 and ordered a detailed physical examination.
That examination revealed that the goods did not match the declared description of plastic resin.
Customs officials collected samples for laboratory testing. The laboratory report issued on August 19 confirmed that the material was Cellulose Acetate Tow, a high-duty raw material used in the manufacture of cigarettes.
The shipment carried around 25.4 tons of the material and was assessed at approximately Rs. 40 million.
More importantly, the duties and taxes applicable to the consignment were estimated at around Rs. 308 million, highlighting the substantial revenue at stake in the alleged misdeclaration.
The seizure is now being investigated to determine how the goods were misdeclared and who may be responsible for the discrepancy.
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