The Delhi Customs on Thursday seized 367 iPhones with an estimated market value Rs 3.19 crore smuggled from Riyadh. The handsets were seized by Special Investigation and Intelligence Branch (SIIB), ACC Export Commissionerate.
The phones were concealed in 8 courier parcels declared as household goods shipped from Riyadh.
Earlier, a plea made in the Delhi High Court by Indigo Airlines seeking directions to the customs authorities to implement the ruling of Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) that re-import of repaired parts of the aircraft used by the company were exempt from Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST).
Despite the ruling, the customs authorities levied IGST on 541 bills of entry with regard to imports after the January 15 order of CESTAT and the company ended up paying around Rs 116 crores, Indigo told the court.
The high court directed the customs authorities to decide the representation already moved by Indigo, for exempting imports of repaired parts from IGST, in accordance with the law, rules, regulations and government policy applicable to the case and also keeping in mind the two orders of CESTAT, as reported.
