DRI seizes 2 containers with smuggled LED TVs brought from China worth crores from Mundra port in Gujarat

Mundra/Ahmedabad:

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence ( DRI) of Ahmedabad has seized two containers from Mundra port in Gujarat containing LED TVs worth crores of rupees smuggled from Chinat.

A DRI official today said taht Specific intelligence was developed by the Zonal Unit, Ahmedabad that one New Delhi based firm namely M/s. DBS Security Systems Pvt. Ltd. would be attempting to smuggle substantial quantity of 40 inch and 43 inch LED TVs (Television Sets) in two containers from Mundra Port by misdeclaring them as Panels. It was further gathered that the importer would resort to misdeclaration to bypass the mandatory requirement of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standard) compliance for import of TVs of 32 inch and above. Keeping in view the safety of Indian consumers and to curb the inflow of substandard electronic products, the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012 was notified on 03rd Oct. 2012 by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the provision of Compulsory Registration Scheme of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 1986. This Order calls for prohibition to manufacturer sell/import of TVs of 32 inch and above unless they have been tested to Indian Safety Standards, registered with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and display registration logo (Standard Mark).

‘Officers of DRI, Ahmedabad kept watch on the arrival of the said consignment at Mundra Port. When the importer filed the Bill of Entry for clearance of the said
consignments, then DRI, Ahmedabad passed on the intelligence regarding misdeclaration and concealment of smuggled goods in the said consignment to SIIB, Customs Mundra. After receiving the intelligence from DRI, Ahmedabad, officers of SIIB, Customs Mundra conducted 100% examination of the two containers. In the examination it was found that the items declared as 40 inch LED Panels and 43 inch LED Panels were not Panels but complete LED TV Sets.The importer has misdeclared them as Panels as there is no requirement of BIS Compliance for import of Panels. These LED TV SETs were smuggled from China and the manufacturer of those LED TV SETs is not registered with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). It was also found that the importer has resorted to gross undervaluation to evade payment of appropriate customs duty. Accordingly SIIB, Customs Mundra has detained both containers containing smuggled LED TVs of 40 inch and 43 inch worth crores of rupees to take action against the importer under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962,’ he said.

DeshGujarat