- Bribe Fighter
- 12 years ago
- 2714 views
Harrowing experience at unaccompanied baggage section of Mumbai customs
On Dec 20, 2011, I had gone to Unaccompanied baggage section to collect 6 bags which was booked from Auckland to Mumbai where I was studying for last 5 months. The bags reached on Dec 17, 2011 at Mumbai airport. I received a call on Monday i.e. Dec 19,2011, from someone stating that he is an agent and can help me get my bags with a service charge. Before I could ask about how he could get this number he put the phone down. When I visited Malayasia airlines cargo on Tuesday Dec 20,2011, I was told that the booking paper has my number and email which customs staff pass on to agents (whether with a fee I am not aware). On reaching the unaccompanied baggage I was given forms which had to be filled and submitted. I was told to pay Rs 1442 as duty charges for a used printer. However, on my questioning about the rate list on the basis of levying the customs duty I was told by the in charge that I can search this on google. After completion of formality of paying the baggage holding charges I was asked to present the bill to customs department again. The staff there mentioned to pay Rs 20 to his clerk for photocopy and audit signature. On my questioning that if he is customs staff why should i pay money. To this he gave me the entire book (which contain the photocopy bills of other passengers) and asked me to go to audit section. After spending about 15 minutes searching for the audit department I was directed to a lady in charge of unaccompanied baggage audit. On presentation of my application she mentioned that she has misplaced her stamp and I will need to write down the matter. I mentioned that I am not expected to do her job. To this she replied that I will then need to wait. During the next 10 minutes she took all other job tasks but did not pay heed to my application. In the end she just scribbled some note on my application. I asked her name and designation but she refused to divulge the information. I have taken a photograph of her on my mobile camera. When I returned with the audit signature I was asked to visit octroi department of BMC. The octroi staff was not available at unaccompanied baggage section and I had to walk another some distance to get the octroi signature. The officer there was not aware of the number of stamps to be put on. I mentioned I was told to take stamps on each of the payment documents. On my return to collect my baggage I was then asked by the security person that the signature has to be taken in the reverse of the slip. I refused to go again all the way to the octroi department. On my insistence my bags were released. However, there was no trolley for me to take my bags till the gate. I had to pay Rs 40 for a loader and then was put in a taxi who asked for Rs 350 till Bandra. I mentioned to taxi driver that I will pay as per meter and refused to go with him. Finally on reaching my destination I had to pay Rs 220 as meter charges. The entire process of releasing my 6 bags took 6 hours at customs. I can now understand why people depend on agents to get the baggage released. However, I fail to understand how are these agents provided with gate passes to enter the customs area.