An importer was levied a fined Nu.5,20,000, by the Regional Revenue and Customs Office in Phuentshogling for forging documents. She had forged three customs declaration documents amounting to over Nu.1.4 million.
On December 24, the importer, running a grocery shop in Phuentshogling, had approached the bank for a release of demand draft against the goods imported. Finding the signatures on the declaration forms suspicious, the bank official cross-verified with the customs office and found it to be bogus.
The importer had faked documents belonging to three other business entities. Along with the documents, she had also forged signatures of the dealing officers at the customs check post.
This is the second time for such a case to be reported through a financial institution.
The Joint Collector for Customs and Excise in Phuentshogling, Pema Wangchen, said people resort to such practices for the want of extra Indian currency and its high exchange value across the border. He said because of a porous border, importers often forge customs declaration form that looks exactly like the original ones.
However, such cases are detected, upon physical verification of the goods, cross verification of respective entry numbers and coordination with the financial institutions.
Ten such cases were reported last year.
