KARACHI (March 24 2004): The Collectorate of Customs (Export) has withdrawn exemption of dog sniffing for drug checks on fresh fruits and vegetable consignments, and directed the concerned staff to examine all such consignments on random or selective basis, considering the profile of the exporters.

The Additional Collector of Export, Islahuddin Siddiqui, has issued an office order, saying that it had been observed that no dog sniffing of the consignments of fresh fruits and vegetables was carried out on the basis of Drug Examination Cell (DEC) exemption allowed on submission of undertaking from the respective associations.

"However to obviate the chances of misuse of this facility, it is hereby ordered that the concerned Principal Appraiser should personally examine such consignments on random/selective basis for the purpose of drug enforcement considering the profile of the exporters," the order added.

It may be pointed out that the drug checks through dog sniffing had recently been started for all fruits and vegetable consignments to be exported to Jeddah, which had resulted in damage to the quality of fruits, as they were kept open under the hot sun for hours for the drug checks ordered by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF).

The new office order would make dog-sniffing binding on every consignment depending on the discretion of the Principal Appraiser. The dog sniffing was exempted for the exporters, who submitted an undertaking from the association about his bona fide.

The fruit exporters had expressed serious concern over the new customs order, and said that the kinno exports (citrus fruit) to Saudi Arabia had already gone down by 50 percent due to the drug checks for every consignment and now the exports would come to a complete halt if the exemption from dog sniffing was withdrawn.

They said that under the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) tax reforms, more facilities were being created for the exporters and importers through risk-based clearance system, but the Collectorate of Exports had curtailed facilitation already enjoyed by the exporters.

They said that no dog sniffing facility on the basis of an undertaking, provided by the association about the bona fide of an exporter was in vogue for several years and its sudden withdrawal would seriously affect the export of fresh fruits and vegetables.

They suggested that the containers, having fresh fruit consignments should not be de-stuffed during the hot season and if any container was selected for drug checks at all, the dog sniffing should be arranged at night so that the fruit was not damaged.

The exporters pointed out that with the start of dog sniffing, anew, export consignments would be delayed beyond imagination as there was already shortage of sniffing dogs and their strength was not enough to cope with the enormous work at four export stations.

Courtesy Business Recorder