Smuggling in extra duty-free liquor? Customs is watching

The festive season is just around the corner and those who want to revel in the merriment with some high-end, duty-free alcohol, be warned as officials from the Customs department are keeping a strict vigil to ensure that duty-free liquor is not outsourced illegally during the holidays.

Customs have asked officials to ensure that a person
is sold only 2 bottles against their boarding pass

Customs officials have alerted the state excise department to carefully examine every purchase made at duty-free shops and prevent any illegal purchases.

"We are doing our very best to intercept all those who are buying duty-free alcohol beyond the permissible limit. We have noticed that during this time, there is a tendency to buy additional alcohol and not disclose their purchase at the checkpoints," said a Customs official.

Another Customs official added that they had already asked the excise department to be more vigilant as the sale of liquor from duty-free shops is at an all-time high during the holidays. He said that they had asked the officials to ensure that bottles of alcohol be sold only against a boarding pass and a ticket.

In the recent past, the Customs have caught several passengers carrying large number of alcohol bottles without declaring the same. "As per the existing guidelines, each passenger is allowed to carry two bottles.
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However, on several occasions we have found people carrying more than five bottles," said the officer.

Confirming the increase in checks, Additional Commissioner of Air Intelligence Unit Mahendra Pal said, "If we find at any time that rules are being violated, we increase surveillance. We shall screen passengers and fine all those found breaking the rules."