Date: |
25-07-1995
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Notification No: |
Customs Circular No 84/1995
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Issuing Authority: |
Indian Customs
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Type: |
Circular
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File No: |
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Subject: |
Instruction regarding - Customs detention of imported cargo at ports
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Instruction regarding - Customs detention of imported cargo at ports
Circular No. 84 dated 25th
July 1995
I am directed to
say that the matter of long detention of cargo including containerised cargo at
various ports by the Customs authorities leading to port congestion as well as
hold up of containers has been represented at various forums. This issue has
also come up for discussion in the last Scope Shipping meeting recently
held in Bangalore.
2. The
matter has been examined by the Board and it is observed that at times the
customs is detaining the imported cargo along with containers in which it has
been unloaded for the purpose of investigation. The Directorate of Revenue
Intelligence is also insisting upon detention of imported cargo till such time
as the enquiry/ investigation undertaken by it is completed. It is the view of
the Board that for facilitating investigation the detention of the imported
cargo may be necessary at times. However, this should not be at the cost of
hardship to other importers or the container agents as the imported containers
may be required for use by persons other than the importer of the detained
cargo. At the same time, long detention of cargo including containerised cargo
no doubt blocks valuable space in the already congested ports. This is not also
desirable.
3. Having
regard to the legal necessity of detention of imported cargo and at the same
time taking into account the difficulties created by such detention, as detailed
above, it has been decided by the Board that long detentions of imported cargo
including containerised cargo at the ports is to be avoided by the Customs
authorities including Intelligence and enforcement authorities. Accordingly, the
Board desires that whenever it becomes necessary to detain the imported cargo
for long time periods pending completion of enquiry/ investigation, such cargo
should be removed to a customs warehouse in terms of the provision of section 49
of the Customs Act, 1962 For this purpose the cargo can also be removed from the
container and the container can be released for use by the container agents/
other importers.
4. It is desired by
the Board that the above procedure for detention of imported cargo may be
followed with immediate effect by the concerned officers of customs. For this, a
suitable departmental instruction/ standing order may issued. It is further
desired by the Board that the Commissioners of customs/ DGRI may monitor
all containers detained for investigation so as to ensure that unnecessary
detention of import cargo for long time periods and beyond the required time art
not resorted. A report of the review undertaken in the regard may be sent by
30.9.95 indicating only cases where such containers are required to be detained
beyond 6 months with justification therefore.
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