Ombudsman directs FBR to investigate courier records, Customs officials and possible nationwide fraud involving imported smartphones
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to launch a targeted investigation into an alleged iPhone delivery scam involving courier company FedEx and other individuals, while ordering a broader nationwide inquiry to determine whether similar fraudulent cases have occurred across Pakistan.
The directions were issued by Federal Tax Ombudsman M. Zafar Ul Haq Hijazi after reviewing a complaint filed by Muhammad Nausherwan Khan, who alleged that an imported iPhone 16 Plus sent by his sister from Canada never reached him despite payment of all applicable taxes. The Ombudsman concluded that the circumstances pointed to a potentially organised fraud requiring a comprehensive investigation.
According to the complaint, the iPhone 16 Plus arrived in Karachi on December 10, 2024, even though the shipment was destined for Islamabad. The complainant said he was contacted by an individual claiming to be a clearing agent, who informed him that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) tax had to be paid before the handset could be released.
After paying Rs138,526 in PTA tax, the complainant alleged that repeated attempts to obtain the mobile phone or the original detention receipt proved unsuccessful.
He further claimed that a forged authority letter had been prepared in his name and submitted to Customs, enabling the device to be released to another individual. According to the complaint, the handset was delivered through alleged collusion between the purported clearing agent and Customs officials.
In its response, the Collectorate of Customs (Airports), Karachi denied any maladministration. Customs maintained that the consignment was released only after verification of the original detention receipt, invoice details and PTA compliance requirements.
The department also argued that the complainant had initially failed to establish lawful entitlement because he could not produce the original detention receipt and his address did not match the shipment records.
However, during the proceedings, the complainant contended that while his name remained unchanged as the consignee, his Islamabad address and contact number had allegedly been fraudulently replaced with those of another individual in the Air Waybill and invoice.
He alleged that the alteration was carried out in connivance with FedEx, resulting in the shipment being diverted to Karachi rather than delivered to its intended destination in Islamabad.
Although the complainant later informed the Ombudsman’s office that his grievance had been resolved and requested closure of the case, the FTO observed that the matter raised broader concerns requiring investigation beyond the individual complaint.
In its findings, the Ombudsman stated that the available evidence suggested an organised scam in which the lawful consignee was deprived of a duty-paid imported consignment.
The FTO observed that shipment tracking documents contained the correct consignee information, while the address and contact details appearing on the Air Waybill and invoice had allegedly been substituted, indicating a possible compromise within the courier company’s booking or transportation process.
The Ombudsman further remarked that such manipulation could not have occurred without possible involvement from within the courier chain and criticised the failure of the relevant authorities to resolve the complainant’s grievance for more than one and a half years.
The FTO recommended that the FBR instruct the Chief Collector of Customs (Airports) to initiate a targeted inquiry into FedEx and obtain shipment data covering the period from January 2025 to June 2026 to identify any similar discrepancies between shipment tracking records and Air Waybills.
The Ombudsman also directed the authorities to initiate legal proceedings against individuals allegedly involved in preparing forged documents and facilitating the fraudulent release of imported consignments.
In addition, the FTO ordered a meaningful inquiry into Customs officials posted at the Air Freight Unit to determine whether any personnel assisted the alleged fraud, with disciplinary action to be taken against those found responsible.
The recommendations further include issuing instructions to all Customs airport collectorates to identify similar cases, conducting regular training programmes for airport Customs staff, preparing a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) for courier clearances, and submitting a compliance report within 45 days.