Legal action taken against leading food company for under-invoicing

Customs Intelligence has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the owner of M/s Food Links International, Shahid Huda, and Muhammad Manaf, the clearing agent from M/s Danish International Karachi.

The complaint alleges their involvement in the under-invoicing of vegetable oil and related products, causing substantial losses to the government through the use of fake invoices and declaring a 59% lower value for imported consignments.

The Directorate of Intelligence and Investigations Customs, as reported by Pro Pakistani, contends that M/s Food Links International undervalued imported vegetable oil and its products, in stark contrast to data provided by the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association, which indicates significantly higher values.

What is under-invoicing?

Under-invoicing occurs when the price stated on an invoice is less than the actual amount paid for a product. This practice is often employed by importers or exporters seeking to minimize tariffs.

Additionally, buyers or sellers may use under-invoicing as a strategy to decrease their reported earnings, thereby reducing the amount of taxes owed.