RC India

I ordered a drone for Rs 900 from Alibaba/China in November 2015, and received a letter from Customs when it arrived in India, that I am required to present an NOC from WPC. I chose to forgo the drone and did not take any action.

Today, I have received a notice (about 1.5 years later!) that they are confiscating the item under Customs Act 1962 - Section 111d (prohibited items). It also mentions I am liable to penal action under 112a for improper importation. I have written back to them with my consent for confiscating the drone, and asked them about the penalty.

I am worried about what 'penal action' I may liable to. From what I have found (Section 112a ii) [1], there's a monetary penalty that I am okay with (but cannot find the procedure to pay anywhere). Has anyone here had a similar situation? Or do you know of any other actions that may be taken against me? Or how to pay the regulation fine?

I am thinking about visiting their office.

Thanks.

[1] http://www.cbec.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/customs/cs-act/cs-act-ch14-revised

Me also having the same problem ...... My items r stuck in mumbai coustoms ..

write a petition / prayer to the assistant commissioner of customs saying

1 the item was a childs toy
2 similar items are available widely in indian malls currently
3 item was imported purely for personal use and not for any commercial intent
4. since the item has already been confisticated the said penalty may be waived.

send it by registered post .


use the words I have written above - you can phrase it differently.

Hi,
I too recd the same, same letter and in reply i wrote back an email to them saying...

The Assistant Commissioner of Customs
Dear Sir,

This is with respect to the letter received (scan copy attached).

I was unaware that the online purchased Toy Drone is a prohibited product, since kindly request you to dispose of the parcel / toy drone.

...........................

no rely from them still...

Can u send the the email id of assistant commissioner of customs .

Hi Jovino,

this is the email id - pasnchmum@gmail.com.

However just today I went and visited the Foreign Post office from where I had recd this letter. I got a chance to meet the senior person in the post office and he advised do submit a letter/application saying send back to the sender. I told him what if we write a letter saying to dispose of the product then the person said there will be a fee charged (how much was not said) to dispose or destroy the product.

also i did meet another guy who said we get about 10-15 drones daily and we keep sending this letter, as now its not allowed, we don't know whats your intention with this product. Since its not released.

Hi freedom2fly, thanks for documenting the result of your visit. I will send them a letter asking to return the item back to sender.

Thanks Stonedrone,

I know what tension we face when we have put our hard earned money on our Hobby and these postal guys play a mess with us thinking that we will use for some wrong purpose!!!!!

I still cannot understand, why these guys are unable to stop the sale of products within India, you drop in at crawford market you get these things sold openly in the market, big ecommerce online sites sell these, you get them in huge malls etc...

there are many fellows on youtube posted videos and say they too sell!!!

The thing is the quads you see in markets are usually imported by shopkeepers in big containers. They come along with other toys. The importers label the containers as "toys".
Their licenses are checked and they are allowed to import the container.
The customs and postal people do not allow the import of single units because they are able to detect the quads. there aren't any laws in place. God forbid, a person with wrong intentions gets their hands on the hobby grade product, they will be able to take to the skies.
The possibilities are unlimited.
The post and customs people do what they have been instructed, stop the import of quadcopters until laws are put into place.
And for the people who order these cheap toy grade quads, it serves them right. They don't read beforehand regarding the issues and when they face the issues, they ask for solutions.
Regards

Prabal!!!

Thanks.....

Any update what was the "Duty" or tax that you were asked to pay?

the letter didn't mention anything about the amount.