Hyderabad: Five African nationals living in Hyderabad on medical and tourist visas were found to be importing food and cosmetics from Africa and evading taxes by undervaluing the goods. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence Officials said 13 tonnes of consumables and cosmetics flown in as cargo from African countries were seized in a week at the Shamshabad airport.
The consignments were booked by those who were on medical or visit visas and even those who never came to India. An in-depth probe is on to find where the products were sold and who are involved.
The DRI officials said seven consignments of unaccompanied baggage of African nationals dispatched from Lagos, Nigeria, were intercepted at the RGI Airport Air Cargo complex when five African nationals attempted to collect the consignments.
“In one instance, five consignments with goods declared as edible food and personal effects weighing around 10 tonnes which were declared with a value of around Rs 1.3 lakh. The items found were noodles, cosmetics, palm oil, beef, dried fish, meat and beverages including alcohol in a huge commercial quantity, which are generally not allowed to be imported as baggage. The goods were highly undervalued to avoid the customs duty,” said a DRI official. The original value was set at Rs 41.24 lakh.
The claimants revealed that they were undervaluing the goods to evade the customs duty and also using the unaccompanied baggage route to avoid regulatory permissions like FSSAI, plant and animal quarantine and legal metrology that are mandated for entry of goods into India.
A DRI official said the fraud was going on for several years.
In a recently held consignment, the edible and cosmetic products weighing over three tonnes were found. A total of seven consignments weighing 13 tonnes and valuing at Rs 52.24 lakh were seized. Notices have been served to the African nationals in connection with the cases registered by the DRI and none of them was placed under the arrest.
