Condell Park firm ordered to pay fines of more than $67,000 in penalties over imports

A Condell Park company has been ordered to pay more than $67,000 in penalties and recovered duty and GST over an aluminium shipment from China.

A Condell Park-based fabrication business has been ordered to pay more than $67,000 in penalties after an Australian Border Force investigation.

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A Condell Park fabrication business has been ordered to pay more than $67,000 in penalties, recovered duty and GST after an investigation by Australian Border Force into the importation of Chinese aluminium products though Thailand.

ABF Customs Compliance Operations focused on an import declaration in December, 2018, for just under 15 tonnes of aluminium sections shipped into Sydney in a sea container.

ABF Acting Commander Malcolm Phelps said it was a timely reminder for all companies to correctly declare their imports.

Australian Border Force looked into the importation of Chinese aluminium products though Thailand.

“At the end of the day importers who don’t pay the correct amount of duty and GST are depriving the Australian economy and, ultimately, Australian taxpayers,” acting commander Phelps said.

“In this case, considerable effort was made to route the consignment through Thailand to conceal the fact that it originated in China.”

The ABF, being Australia’s customs service, said it had made trade enforcement one of its key operational priorities.

“The investigation uncovered three false and misleading statements, which included a false declaration regarding the origin of the goods, to avoid the payment of Countervailing Duty, Dumping Duty and Customs Duty,” an ABF spokesman said.

Australian Border Force said just under 15 tonnes of aluminium sections were shipped into Sydney in a sea container.

“The Australian Government imposes Countervailing Duty and Dumping Duty to combat the dumping of low-priced overseas goods below their “normal value” which causes, or threatens to cause, material injury to an Australian industry.

“The shipment was also undervalued.

“The false and misleading statements caused a shortfall of $35,722 in duty, and a further $4,676 in GST.

“On top of paying the under-declared duty and GST the company received a penalty of $26,791 — the equivalent of 75 per cent of the duty shortfall.

“In total it was required to pay $67,189.”

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