Four luxury cars worth an estimated Tk4.5 crore to Tk6.7 crore have been imported through Mongla Port by disguising them as old automobile parts, according to National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The fraud was uncovered during a raid by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) of NBR. The seized vehicles include a Range Rover Vogue, Lexus LX570, BMW 65i and Toyota Crown Athlete.
NBR disclosed the information in a press release issued on Thursday, saying the vehicles were identified with help of artificial intelligence (AI), technical assistance from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and expert teams from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), followed by a 100% physical examination.
According to NBR, Crown Automobile Services, a company based in Gandaria, Dhaka, imported the consignment. The importer declared the goods as used automobile parts, including headlights, doors, suspension components, tail lights, rubber channels and steering wheels.
However, CIID found that the consignment actually contained complete vehicles that had been cut into only three or four large sections and imported in a semi-knocked-down (SKD) condition. The declared dutiable value of the entire consignment was only Tk9,93,547, significantly lower than the estimated market value of the vehicles.
Estimated value of seized cars
The 2017 Range Rover Vogue, manufactured in the UK, has an estimated market value of Tk1.6 crore to Tk1.85 crore. The 2016 Lexus LX570, manufactured in Japan, is estimated to be worth Tk2 crore to Tk3.5 crore. The 2010 BMW 65i, manufactured in Germany, has an estimated value of Tk60 lakh to Tk90 lakh.
The Toyota Crown Athlete, manufactured in Japan, is estimated to be worth Tk30 lakh to Tk40 lakh.
The combined estimated market value of the four vehicles is between Tk4.5 crore and Tk6.7 crore.
How the fraud was detected
Acting on intelligence, Khulna Regional Office of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department suspended the consignment in July.
A physical examination was subsequently conducted on 19 July. Investigators examined numbers, labels and stickers engraved on different parts of the vehicles and found evidence indicating that the components belonged to complete luxury cars.
The NBR said the importer had allegedly adopted the method to evade the high duties applicable to luxury vehicles. Depending on engine capacity, supplementary duty on such vehicles can range from 30% to 500%.
According to NBR press release, the vehicles were imported by deliberately misrepresenting them as used automobile parts in order to reduce the applicable customs duty and taxes.
The NBR said, following completion of the necessary customs procedures, the Mongla Custom House would be recommended to take strict legal action against the importer.
