Latest iPhones being smuggled at Mumbai airport, 200 sets seized in 2 weeks

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Oct 07, 2015: The Air Intelligence Unit of the Mumbai Customs has reported a spurt in the smuggling of high-end iPhones at the Mumbai airport, forcing the authorities to warn travellers to voluntarily declare their newly-purchased iPhones and pay appropriate duty on them.

Officials at the airport said at least 200 illegal iPhone 6s and iPhones 6S Plus sets, worth Rs 1.23 crore, have been seized in the last two weeks in Mumbai. They said fliers from Singapore, Bangkok, Hongkong, Istanbul, London, Dubai and Johannesburg have been smuggling the latest iPhones, which are yet to go on sale in India.

"Since the value of even a single iPhone is in excess of the admissible free allowance, hence even a single piece becomes dutiable. Therefore, the fliers must voluntarily declare these iphones to Customs on their arrival on the Mumbai airport," an official statement said.

"Otherwise, if a passenger is picked up after passing through the Green Channel, then he or she becomes liable to pay fine and penalty also in addition to customs duty. Passengers caught carrying iPhones in commercial quantity are liable to be arrested as per the provisions of Customs Act, 1962," it warned.

The price of iPhone 6S in India starts from Rs 62,000 for its 16GB variant. The 64 and 128 GB variants would cost Rs 72,000 and Rs 82,000 respectively. The more expensive iPhone 6S Plus starts at Rs 72,000 and goes up to nearly a lakh for its top variant.

"After smuggling these iPhones in India, they are being sold at Rs 1 lakh and more. As these models are still to be launched in India, the passengers are trying to smuggle these iPhones for monetary benefit by sale through grey market," a source at the airport told India Today.

 

Courtesy: Indiatoday