Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Customs officials seize ornamental fishes at Coimbatore airport

Restricted goods:Arowanas seized by the Customs from a passenger who arrived at the Coimbatore airport from Singapore on Thursday.

Coimbatore: The customs officials seized hundreds of ornamental fishes from a passenger on Thursday when he arrived at the Coimbatore Airport from Singapore. Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, C. Rajendiran said a team of officials led by M. Chandra Bose, Deputy Commissioner of Customs, found A. Sahubar Shathick moving about suspiciously at the airport. The scanning of two suitcases indicated that the contents were marked for closer scrutiny. The passenger after collecting the suitcases attempted to pass through the green channel. When the customs officials enquired whether he had any dutiable goods to be declared, he replied in the negative.

On examination, the officials found ornamental fishes in the baggage. The fishes of the Arowana family as well as Tiger Loach varieties were packed in 15 polythene bags. The passenger said that he had collected the suitcases from a person in Singapore for delivery in India. Some of the fishes died in the morning.

The ornamental fishes are classifiable under customs tariff as restricted goods for import, for which a licence is required from the Director General of Foreign Trade along with a certificate from the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State concerned. As these conditions were violated, the goods were confiscated and a penalty of 25 per cent over the value of the consignment was imposed on the passenger. The total value of the consignment was estimated to be over Rs. 1 lakh.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Effort begins for improving NH 209
Customs officials seize ornamental fishes at Coimbatore airport
From the U.S. to Indian farms
TANFUFA to join protest
TNAU-Cornell model needed to re-energise Indian agricultural education
Mock drill at BPCL
Adventure sports from January 9
Commotion at railway station
Traffic diversion in city today
Youth commits suicide
Master Plan for Coimbatore will be ready in six months: Bansal
Illustrious sons of Coimbatore
Students create awareness on safe driving
‘Review water charges'
Fish market shops allotment after Council approval
Road condition troubles residents
Workshop on radiation hazards
Reminding motorists on road safety
Trade union seeks houses for conservancy workers
Special camps
Help booth for children at Coimbatore Junction
In Coimbatore Today

Copyright © 2011, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu