New norms come to effect on Aug 15
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Chennai: With a view to encourage informers who risk their lives and pass on information to government agencies, leading to major seizures of gold, silver and narcotics, besides helping the law enforcers to detect duty evasion, the finance ministry has tripled the reward amount that leads to the detection of smuggled gold and silver.
The new schemes which will come into effect on August 15, has also suggested that informers be paid 20 percent of the value of the seized goods. In a recent circular issued by the Central Board of Excise and Customs, (anti-smuggling unit), government has come out with the enhanced reward details. Government now promises to pay Rs 1.5 lakh on information that leads to the seizure of 1 kg gold where the reward was Rs 50,000 earlier. Similarly, the reward for seizure of 1 kg silver has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000.
It may be noted that Chennai airport witnessed heavy traffic of smuggled gold in 2014. The value of the seized gold from international passengers went up from Rs 36 crore in 2013 to Rs 102 crore in 2014.
Kuruvis or carriers get only Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for each consignment of gold they smuggle from abroad. With government now offering Rs 1.5 lakh to informers for every kg of gold seized, informing about smuggling to law enforcers will be very lucrative for those linked to the smuggling network.
Among narcotics, information on cocaine will fetch you Rs 2.4 lakh for one kg seizure where it was just Rs 40,000 earlier. Similarly, the cash reward linked to the seizure of 1 kg heroin has been enhanced from Rs 20,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh while inputs that help the seizure of one kg ganja has been also increased to Rs 600 from Rs 100.
From August 15 this year any information on party drugs like ketamine, ephedrine and amphetamine, for which till now there was no reward, will also fetch cash rewards. Government has also reworked the rewards of government servants depending on the value of seizure. Officers are however not allowed to claim more than Rs 20 lakh as reward during their entire career.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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