- I Paid A Bribe
- 14 years ago
- 267 views
Reprimanded at not realizing that I could have bribed less
- Customs, Excise and Service Tax
- Customs Check and Clearance
- Paid INR 7,000
I was bringing a dutiable medical device of around $500 in value for my asthmatic grandmother into Bangalore but false research on the web has made me think it was duty free. Sure enough I was held up at customs. The attendant there said if I paid Rs 2000 I could leave, else I could have the article confiscated and I'd have to deal with it with the the chief official in charge of this at the Airport . Not understanding that this was a request for a bribe I refused and said I'd come back and speak to him. When I did, he more or less openly asked for Rs 7000 though the official duty came up to Rs 2500. And before I left having paid him the money and signed a form that said I paid him Rs 2500, he reprimanded me in Kannada and said that if I hadnt been so American and had paid up decently I would be paying Rs 2000 instead of Rs 7000.