Hunt to start against 3-wheeler import on false declaration

A section of importers of diesel-run three-wheelers are set to face customs action as they allegedly managed to get their vehicles released from the port on false declaration.
Officials said the customs wing of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had instructed its major stations to collect all personal and bank details of the suspected importers to pursue them for paying the dodged duty.
The customs department has assessed a total of Tk 80 million as due taxes from the importers at Benapole, Mongla, Chittagong and Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD).
Import of diesel-run three-wheelers is required to pay 91 per cent duty. The customs investigation wing has found the importers having released the vehicles at 61 per cent, dodging the payment of supplementary duty (SD). The wing, in a recent letter, expressed its concern over delays in launching investigation into involvement of customs officials of the respective houses in the "false declaration".
It has asked the customs houses to collect personal and bank information, wealth statements from taxpayer identification number (TIN) of the importers from different banks.
Talking to the FE, a senior customs official said many of such categories of vehicles have been imported and released from ports at lower duties.
He said both customs and importers may be found guilty for the loss of duty.
"Customs wing has asked the stations to expedite realisation of the due taxes by finding them out," he said.
Officials said despite several letters with instructions for taking legal action, some customs houses failed to initiate satisfactory step.
Some customs houses have taken steps according to the customs act 1969, section 202. The matter of false declaration has been confirmed as per customs law.
The NBR, earlier, had instructed investigating the issue and finding out whether any officials were involved in the irregularities. None of the customs houses got back to the instruction yet.
According to The Customs Act 1969, section 83A, the customs officials are empowered to reassess and collect due taxes within 30 days of the issuance of demand notice.
After expiry of the timeframe, customs officials can take punitive action against the defaulters.
The board sent several letters seeking update on its instructions from the customs houses but was yet to get response.
Some customs officials said they found collection of due taxes on the released vehicles quite difficult as importers already sold out those by calculating cost of import.
Now, the importers would not agree to pay the back taxes due to mistake in HS code, they said.
As per customs law, the importers must have to pay the taxes as per findings by the customs officials.
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