LAHORE: The customs department has declined to redeem the vehicle being operated and driven by the owner himself for smuggling purposes, said sources.
The owner was ready to pay redemption fine equivalent to 20 percent along with personal penalty of Rs 25,000.
The information was received by the anti-smuggling organization of collectorate of customs that smuggled goods are concealed in the built-in cavities of a passenger bus. A team was constituted to check the same.
The team spotted the bus on the road and stopped it for checking purposes. The driver of the bus, who was also owner of the same, was asked about the presence of non-duty paid goods, which he denied. However, when the staff thoroughly checked the bus they found out built-in secret cavities full of smuggled goods. The customs team brought the bus to the warehouse and executed legal formalities to issue a show-cause notice.
When the owner of the bus was confronted with regard to presence of non-duty paid goods, he showed his willingness to pay the duty and taxes.
The department ordered to confiscate the smuggled items but declined to redeem the vehicle on payment of fine on the ground that the said vehicle was used in smuggling by the owner himself.
The bus owner filed an application for redemption of the vehicle on the plea that he had not denied the presence of smuggled goods in the bus and was ready to pay fine.
But the department maintained that in the cases where secret cavities are available in the vehicle and the owner of the vehicle is in full knowledge of those secret cavities besides having the understanding that his vehicle was being used in dealing with smuggled goods, no facility of redemption can be offered.
Instead, only in the cases where owner of the vehicle is not in the knowledge of the fact that his vehicle is carrying smuggled goods and being operated and driven by some other person, a relaxation of redeeming the vehicle can be extended.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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