Business head evades Dh140m customs duty

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Business head evades Dh140m customs duty

A director of a business in the Jebel Ali Port Free Zone has been referred by the Public Prosecution to the court on the charge of customs duty evasion totalling Dh140 million.

By Marie Nammour

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Published: Thu 31 May 2012, 9:38 AM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 11:38 AM

Sami Salem Al Shamsi, Bur Dubai Chief Prosecutor, said the prosecution pays great attention to such economic transgressions as per the instructions of Dubai Attorney-General Eissam Issa Al Humaidan to follow the highest administrative standards in customs procedures. Processing of transactions has been made smooth and traceable, thanks to modern technology.

Al Shamsi pointed out that the Customs Department addressed the prosecution to take legal action against the defendant who manipulated the customs system after processing 237 electronic transactions by smuggling different kinds of cigarettes in two years outside the Jebel Ali Port Free Zone without completing the customs procedures and 
without finalising the necessary clearance.

The discrepancy came to light, Al Shamsi added, when the Customs Department did the auditing. The defendant raised more suspicions when he eluded attending the customs internal investigations.

Khaled Al Zarouni, a chief prosecutor, who oversaw the probe, said the different brands of cigarettes the defendant smuggled were of high customs cost which entailed high fees. Failure to pay those fees may lead to a fine of up to 200 per cent of the value as per the unified customs law of the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) of 2003.

Al Zarouni said the irregularities had been proven in the accounting reports at the Customs Department.

He said the case was referred to court after the prosecution listened to the auditor and the witnesses in addition to examining the documents and evidence.

He urged all businesses operating in the free zones and customs zones to abide by the unified customs law of the GCC and avail of the facilities instead of evading the customs fees.

mary@khaleejtimes.com


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