KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has uncovered a large-scale duty and tax evasion operation at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The raid, led by the Collectorate of Customs Airport Karachi, resulted in the seizure of a consignment valued at Rs. 103 million, along with the arrest of several suspects.
Sources indicated that the scam was orchestrated by employees of Gerry’s dnata, a foreign-based ground-handling company, in collaboration with unscrupulous importers. The group used forged documents to illicitly remove high-value electronics, including laptops, iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, PlayStations, and memory cards, from the airport without proper customs clearance or payment of duties.
The fraud was exposed following credible intelligence that led to enhanced monitoring at the airport. Along with the seized consignment, two other shipments were discovered to have been fraudulently cleared using fake gate passes. The Collectorate has filed two FIRs and arrested employees from the ground-handling company involved in the scam.
Investigations revealed that five consignments, all shipped from the UAE by M/s Pir Jillani General Trading LLC, Dubai, were illegally removed using this method. The shipments, packed in large pallets weighing between 900 and 1,000 kg each, were concealed from the Customs WeBOC system to avoid filing Goods Declarations (GDs) and ensure their clearance through forged documents.
The total amount of evaded duties and taxes is estimated to be Rs. 384 million. Customs investigators also uncovered that employees manipulated the computerized iCargo system to conceal airway bills and issue fake gate passes. The foreign-based company’s refusal to provide CCTV footage and critical records has raised suspicions about senior management involvement.
FBR officials have warned that further FIRs and arrests are expected as investigations continue and efforts to recover the evaded taxes intensify. The Chairman of FBR and the Member of Customs have emphasized that no leniency will be shown to custodians or customs officials failing in their duties, vowing to safeguard national revenue and restore public trust.
