Customs ‘go slow’ protest holds up air cargo

The “go slow” protest of nearly 1600 custom officials at the Air cargo complex, Sahar airport brought clearance of import/export consignments to an abysmal halt on Friday. 

Hardly any consignments were cleared and after the custom house agents (CHAs) met the custom commissioners in the evening.

On January 14, the “go slow” protest of custom officials at Mumbai airport led to huge build of assessment and clearance of import consignments. 

“As the officials were agitating, the protest was on right from Thursday evening,” said a CHA. 

“The pending backlog in assessment and examination of consignments is so huge that it will take them two days to clear it,” he said.

Worried by this huge delay, the CHAs met the custom commissioners in the evening. 

“The commissioner has assured that by Saturday morning even the import clearance will start,” he said.

On January 11, the central branch of investigation (CBI) conducted raids on custom officials  in Mumbai and Pune for taking bribes from CHAs.

They deal with the clearing of import/export consignments and it is alleged that they bribed the custom officials at Mumbai airport by giving them electronic gadgets to get their consignments cleared.