The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has found no similar cases nationwide after investigating alleged irregularities in the customs clearance of a courier-imported iPhone 16 Pro Max. Finance and Revenue Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb informed Parliament that the case involved a dispute between two private parties over a single handset. He said the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) had examined the matter, prompting a detailed inquiry by the relevant Customs Collectorate.
According to the inquiry, the phone remained in FedEx’s custody, and all applicable duties and taxes had been paid. Customs later released the handset to an authorised recipient after verifying the required documents, including the original detention receipt and invoice.
Muhammad Aurangzeb said the recipient’s name matched the details on the verifiable airway bill. He also confirmed that the complainant withdrew the complaint during the FTO proceedings.
To check for similar incidents, the Chief Collector of Customs (Airports), Islamabad, submitted a detailed report to the FTO. The inquiry also included an audit of important FedEx clearances to identify any comparable cases.
“However, no cases of similar nature have been reported elsewhere,” the minister stated in his written response to Parliament.
Customs Tightens Verification and Staff Training Procedures
The government also outlined the safeguards in place to prevent courier shipments from being handed over to unauthorised recipients. Customs officials must verify recipients’ credentials against documents such as the airway bill before releasing goods.
In addition, officials are required to check the original detention receipt issued by the department. Following the FTO’s findings and recommendations, Customs has also launched an internal training programme for officers and officials at Air Freight Units (AFUs) at international airports.
The programme includes monthly training sessions to strengthen clearance procedures and improve document verification.
The response addresses concerns about the handling of courier-imported goods and the risk of consignments reaching unauthorised recipients. While the FBR maintains that the iPhone case was an isolated private dispute, the inquiry and training measures highlight the role of verification and accountability in customs clearance.