The 14.8 kilograms of gold seized from Kannada actress Ranya Rao at Bengaluru Airport is considered to be the biggest smuggling racket that was busted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). According to reports, the authorities seized gold jewelry valued at about Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency holding Rs 2.67 crore in the process. She has been presented to the economic offences court which has remanded her to fourteen days in judicial custody.
Rao is the stepdaughter of senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao. DGP-rank officer who is heading Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. Currently, this entire episode has left the nation shocked and brought about a need to turn our attention yet again to customs rules back home in India. India Customs Regulations The Indian Customs Act, 1962, regulates the import and export duties; it sets up guidelines for customs valuations.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs is the highest authority on customs, excise, and goods and services tax matters in India. Every passenger arriving in India is required to undergo customs checking the moment he or she is cleared first by an immigration officer and collects his or her baggage, if any, from the conveyor belts. Customs clearance should be undertaken through one of the two channels: the Green Channel for passengers not carrying any dutiable or prohibited goods; or the Red Channel for passengers carrying dutiable or prohibited goods.
Passengers conveying prohibited or dutiable goods, or those transcending their duty-free allowance must complete the customs declaration form and take the Red Channel. Alternatively, they can declare the dutiable items and currency before boarding using the ATITHI mobile app.
What Is Allowed To Be Worn In Duty-Free Allowances-Foreign Tourists
On arrival from all the countries, except Nepal, Bhutan, or Myanmar, the following duty-free allowances shall apply: Indian residents and foreigners residing in India can bring
(i) Used personal effects and travel souvenirs, articles not exceeding Rs. 50,000, carried on person or as accompanied baggage; firearms and ammunition (more than 50 cartridges), more than 100-cigarettes, 25-cigarettes, or 125-gm of tobacco, more than two-liter alcoholic beverages, gold or silver (other than ornaments), flat-panel TVs (LCDs/LEDs/plasma).
(ii) Foreign tourists can bring Used personal effects and travel souvenirs, and Articles not exceeding Rs. 15,000 in value carried on one person in the accompanied baggage. However, when arriving from Nepal, Bhutan, or Myanmar, Indian residents, foreigners residing in India, and tourists can bring in used personal effects along with travel souvenirs and items worth up to Rs. 15000.
All Indian passengers who have been living abroad for over one year are allowed to bring jewellery in their bonafide baggage: 20 grams with a ceiling value of Rs 50,000 for a gentleman passenger or 40 grams with a ceiling value of Rs 1,00,000 for a lady passenger. Any passenger of Indian Origin or Passenger holding a valid passport coming to India after a period not less than six months of stay abroad.
However, if short visits are made during this six-month period, they will be ignored provided that the total duration of such short visits does not exceed 30 days and the passenger has not availed of the exemption under this scheme, at the time of such short visits. Other than such passengers, there are no other passengers allowed to import gold in baggage.
Any person whatsoever may bring into India from a place outside India unlimited foreign exchange. However, declaration of foreign exchange/currency is mandatory in some cases. Import of Indian Currency is prohibited. However, ordinarily resident Indians, returning from visits abroad, may bring into India a limited amount of Indian currency, that is Rs 25,000.
Under the Customs Act, serious offences include non-declaration, mis-declaration, or concealment of imported goods. They can attract confiscation, fines, penalties, and even prosecution. The Act also provides for stern action against passengers whether by way of the attempt of smuggling forbidden, restricted, or dutiable goods through the Green Channel or mis-declaring their goods at the Red Channels.
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