Mumbai Customs revenue crosses Rs 1,000-crore for first time

Crossing the Rs 1,000-crore mark for the first time, the Mumbai Commissionerate of Customs (Airport) has grossed Rs 1,183.58 crore revenue during the 2013-14 financial year, a jump of 63 per cent from the corresponding period last year.
"The revenue realised in the 2013-14 financial year was Rs 1,183.58 crore as against its target of Rs 839 crore. It is 63 per cent more in comparison to Rs 727 crore revenue generated in the previous year.
"First time in the history of Mumbai Customs Commisionerate, the revenue has crossed Rs 1,000-crore mark," A P S Suri, Commissioner of Customs, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, told reporters.

The revenue comes in the form of customs duty on valuables carried by inbound passengers, duty collections through imports and export of trading goods, sale proceeds through disposal of seized goods, among others.
Meanwhile, increase in duty and policy changes in import of gold have led to a rise in the smuggling activity.
In 2013-14, as much as 346 kg of gold has been seized from the smugglers by the Customs, a whopping 458 per cent jump in last years' cases. Last year, 61.66 kg gold was seized, Suri added.
Drugs worth Rs 105 crore were confiscated in the same period whereas contraband worth Rs 49.77 crore was seized in the year 2012-13.

Among smuggling cases, a total 187 persons were arrested, which is almost double the number as compared to 94 persons held in 2012-13, Suri added.