Latest news with #CustomsAct
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Snakes on a plane: Man caught with highly venomous vipers, five turtles at Mumbai airport
A man at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, after arriving from Thailand, was caught carrying 48 venomous snakes and five turtles, a customs official said. The passenger was intercepted by customs officials on Saturday night after he got down from a Bangkok-originated flight, news agency PTI reported. After discovering the 48 highly venomous viper snakes and five turtles, a team from Resqink Association for Wildfire Welfare assisted in the identification and handling of these species, he added. Among these snakes were three Spider-tailed horned vipers, highly venomous and targeting only small prey like birds, as well as five Asian leaf turtles, an AFP report said. As per the provisions under the Wildlife Protection Act, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau ordered that the reptiles be sent back to the country from which they were brought. Snakes are comparatively an unusual seizure by customs in Mumbai, as officials more often catch gold smuggling, cash, or drugs swallowed by passengers. Earlier in February, a smuggler with five Siamang gibbons, a small ape native to the forests of Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, was caught by customs officials at Mumbai airport. Customs officials said that those small creatures, which are designated 'endangered' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, were "ingeniously concealed" in a plastic crate inside the passenger's suitcase. Just weeks ago, Mumbai customs officials seized gold and foreign currency worth nearly ₹1 crore at the airport. The gold weighed 0.247 kg, valued at ₹21.96 lakh, and foreign currency equivalent to ₹76.23 lakh. A release from the Finance Ministry said that one passenger was also arrested under the Customs Act, 1962. The seizures were made across two cases. Based on profiling, custom officers intercepted two passengers arriving in Mumbai from Bahrain and Daman, recovering a 24-karat gold bar having a net weight of 247 grams. Another passenger was leaving from Mumbai for Bangkok and just while he was leaving, customs officials caught him with foreign currency USD 90,000 equivalent to ₹76.23 lakh.
AsiaOne
a day ago
- AsiaOne
Over 170 travellers nabbed for evading GST, smuggling large sums of cash in island-wide operation, Singapore News
More than 170 travellers were caught across Singapore's land, air, and sea checkpoints for smuggling cash and evading tax payments on imported goods in a week-long multi-agency enforcement operation. Over 19,000 travellers and 1,600 vehicles were identified for the checks carried out from May 21 to May 27, according to a joint news release on Saturday (May 31). The operation involved the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Singapore Customs (Customs), National Parks Board (NParks), and Health Sciences Authority (HSA). Among those held, 14 foreigners — aged between 26 and 77 — were nabbed for moving cash exceeding $20,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency into and out of Singapore without declaration or with inaccurate declaration. One of these cases on May 24 involved three male travellers who were separately detected moving cash of various currencies valued between $22,938 and $541,000 into or out of Singapore without declaration. Of the 14, four were issued with Notices of Warning, while seven were issued with composition sums amounting to $27,000. The remaining three travellers are still undergoing investigations. According to the police, it is a crime not to report cash or currency of more than $20,000 when crossing Singapore's borders. If convicted, offenders will face a fine of up to $50,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both. The cash may also be confiscated. "We will take strict enforcement action against anyone who fails to make a full and accurate report of cash movements into or out of Singapore," said David Chew, director of the Commercial Affairs Department. Separately, 153 travellers were also caught for failing to declare and pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) on goods such as tobacco products, liquor, POPMART toys and undeclared luxury goods. In one case, a traveller was caught with four litres of Chinese liquor in excess of duty-free allowances. Another traveller was also caught with 20 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes. In total, the GST evaded amounted to $10,754 and $35,165 in composition sums were imposed. Under the Customs Act, those found guilty of the fraudulent evasion of customs or excise duties can face a fine of up to 20 times the amount evaded, or a jail term of up to two years. Travellers are also reminded to declare and make payment for taxable items prior to their arrival in Singapore. [[nid:710203]]
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
$41k seized at Amritsar airport, 1 detained
The Ludhiana regional unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) detained a passenger at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar for attempting to smuggle 41,400 US dollars (approximately ₹35.40 lakh), concealed in his baggage. The passenger, who was travelling to Dubai via Air India Express Flight IX 191 on May 29, was caught carrying $41,400, hidden inside an additional bag placed in his luggage. The concealed currency exceeded the permissible Reserve Bank of India (RBI) limit and was unaccounted for, prompting the DRI to seize it under provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. Preliminary investigations indicate that the individual was engaged in the illegal smuggling of foreign currency for personal financial gain. Officials said that further probe was underway to unearth any broader network or involvement of others. This is the second major seizure of foreign currency by the DRI within a month. On May 3, officials seized foreign currency worth ₹2.66 crore, arresting another individual from Amritsar airport in connection with the smuggling attempt.
India Today
2 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Man caught at Amritsar airport with US dollars worth Rs 35.4 lakh, probe on
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized US currency valued at USD 41,400, equivalent to approximately Rs 35.40 lakh, from a passenger at Amritsar's Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International (SGRDJI) Airport on Thursday, officials said. The man has been taken into custody and is being interrogated by DRI on specific intelligence about a man trying to smuggle foreign currency while on his way from Amritsar to Dubai on Air India Express Flight IX 191, the DRI intercepted him before he could board the flight and searched him, resulting in the 100 dollar denomination bills of the US currency were concealed cleverly within another bag placed inside the main check-in baggage. Upon preliminary examination, it was found that the seized currency was unaccounted for and far exceeded the permissible limits as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. Indian nationals cannot carry more than USD 3,000 worth of foreign currency on international flights without the permission of the RBI as per the foreign currency was seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. An initial investigation indicates that the accused was involved in the illegal smuggling of foreign currency for monetary gains. Further investigation is currently marks the second major foreign currency seizure by DRI Amritsar this month. On May 3, the DRI seized foreign currency worth Rs 2.66 crore from a passenger at Amritsar Airport. In that instance, the individual was arrested, and investigations are still Watch
India Gazette
3 days ago
- India Gazette
DRI seizes foriegn currency worth Rs 35.40 lakh from passenger at Amritsar airport
ANI 31 May 2025, 00:54 GMT+10 Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 30 (ANI): The Amritsar Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered foreign currency amounting to USD 41,400, approximately Rs. 35.40 lakh, from a passenger at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Punjab, officials said on Friday. The passenger was intercepted on Thursday (May 29) while attempting to smuggle the currency on Air India Express Flight IX 191, travelling from Amritsar to Dubai. According to a press release, the foreign currency was cleverly concealed in another bag in the main check-in baggage. Upon preliminary examination, it was found that the seized currency was unaccounted for and far exceeded the permissible limits as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. The currency was seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The initial investigation indicates that the accused was involved in the illegal smuggling of foreign currency for monetary gain. Further investigation is currently underway, the release added. Earlier on May 3, the DRI had seized foreign currency worth Rs 2.66 crore from another passenger at Amritsar Airport. In that case, the individual was arrested, and investigations are ongoing. (ANI)
