The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), in conjunction with an intelligenceagency, has apprehended four individuals affiliated with aninter-provincial criminal network responsible for fabricating counterfeitsales tax invoices. This criminal syndicate employed various fraudulenttactics, including the creation of counterfeit identification documents viathe internet, resulting in a staggering financial loss of more than Rs11billion to the national treasury.
Among the arrested suspects, one was apprehended in Faisalabad, where aprior criminal case was already registered against him. His modus operandiinvolved submitting sham sales tax returns on behalf of fictitiouscompanies.
A second suspect was detained at a call center in Islamabad, while thebroker or agent linked to the gang hailed from Karachi. In a separateoperation, another member of the gang was taken into custody in Faisalabad,a person who had been dismissed from service in 2014 due to involvement incorrupt activities.
These individuals, connected through WhatsApp, routinely exchangedfabricated input and output tax data using Excel spreadsheets as part oftheir illicit operation. Presently, they are being held in Central Jail inKarachi under physical remand. In contrast, the Directorate of I & IIR hasaffirmed its unwavering commitment to combating the menace of counterfeitinvoices.
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The collaborative efforts of the FBR and intelligence agencies havesuccessfully dismantled a significant operation responsible for substantialfinancial losses to the national exchequer.
The arrest of these individuals highlights the extent of their fraudulentactivities and the sophistication of their methods. As they await legalproceedings in Central Jail, Karachi, the authorities remain resolute intheir determination to eliminate the scourge of fake invoices and protectthe integrity of the nation’s finances.
