Andhra Pradesh: Customs curbs evasion

VIJAYAWADA: Customs crimes have come down in 2016 when compared to the previous year in AP. The customs commissionerate has been successful in curbing the smuggling of gold, cigarettes and other narcotics from foreign countries and also the commercial fraud cases of evading customs duty.

As many as nine commercial fraud cases of duty evasion have been booked during 2015-16 amounting Rs 26.34 crore whereas till December 2016, only two cases were booked involving Rs 0.25 crore duty evasion. Seven cases were booked on major companies like NCL, IPL, TCL, Coromandal, BALCO, Vedanta and JSW for non inclusion of demurrage charges in the assessable value of the imported products in 2015-16 evading Rs 5.19 crore. The customs department has realised Rs 6.09 crore from these companies including the penalties.

Scania, a firm still facing a case registered in 2015, faces allegations of misclassification of the imported truck chassis. According to customs officials, the company has evaded '14.22 crore duty. Asra faces a case of mis-utilisation of preferential area on fabricated country of origin certificates which amounts to Rs 6.92 crore duty evasion. Till December only two cases were booked against two companies’ for misclassification and mis-declaration of imported goods.

Customs commissioner of AP S. Khadar Rahaman opined that the technological initiatives that the department has put in place were helpful curb the crimes.  He said the AP customs department was way ahead compared to the other states both in curbing illegal activities and in providing the speedy services to importers and exporters. Recently the Bureau of Indian Standards has awarded IS15700: 2005 certification.