In a shocking report, the Customs department has found 17,000 kg dates reaching Kerala through diplomatic channel within a short span of 3.5 years. Following the finding, the department has been instructed to probe all shipments that arrived through diplomatic channel to all consulates in the state capital, reports Mathrubhumi News. Interestingly the diplomatic baggage from which gold was seized, also contained dates.
As per reports, the shipment of dates has also raised suspicion. There is a limit in the amount that can be shipped from foreign countries for personal use. Usually, Customs will consider this large amount of shipment as for commercial use for which 38.5 percent Customs duty has to be paid. If not, it will be seized.
A Customs official told Mathrubhumi, “The amount of dates is very strange, even if they claimed it was shared with other officials at the consulate. We are probing into what notification they had given to state protocol office”.
As per norms, the shipments arriving under ‘personal’ can’t be given outside. If so, Customs duty will have to be paid. According to rules, Consulate General, Consulates or any institution under External Affairs Ministry are exempted from Customs duty for diplomatic baggage. These are transported through the secretariats of MEA and in those states, where there is no MEA secretariats, state protocol offices handle it.
However, state protocol officer had earlier said that no request from UAE consulate for dropping Customs duty on diplomatic baggage was received in the past years.
Food items, toilet equipment and household items have been shipped through diplomatic baggage channel for personal use. Customs is probing into these details. It will also look into whether other consulates have informed the protocol office of such consignments.
Courtesy: Mathrubhumi News
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