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Baggage Handling

Baggage Prohibited	Alert	Searches
Panchanama	Documents	Arrest
Recording of Statement

Baggage Prohibited/Restricted

1.	Jewellery or articles made wholly or mainly of gold or of silver, in excess of permitted limit. (Rs.20,000/- for females and Rs.10,000/- for males)
2.	Indian currency in excess of Rs.1,000/-
3.	Dangerous drugs such as coca leaf, cocaine, hemp, charas, opium, morphine and their mixtures and derivatives.
4.	Any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, drawing, painting, representation, figure, article or objectionable literature or any class of goods.
5.	Appliances the object of which is the silencing of fire arms.
6.	Plants including parts of plants, soil seeds, fruits, dry fruits, vegetables, flowers, coffee seeds, coffee beans, cottons and unmanufactured tobacco which may contain exotic pests/diseases.
7.	Pet animals and birds in a limited number.

Customs Officials Alert can be of the following types:

Red Alert	For arrest
Blue Alert	For search of baggage/person for a continuous period
Letter Alert	For search of baggage/person for a particular visit

1.	Customs Officials are expected to conduct the search with decency and due consideration to the sentiments of the person subjected to search.
2.	Search is to be conducted in the presence of panchas.
3.	Search cannnot be conducted before general public.
4.	Females should be searched by female only and only in the presence of female witnesses.

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Panchanama

Panchanama is a document executed by two persons (panchas) before the customs official witnessing the search of baggage and/or person of a passenger. The following should be taken into account while executing a panchanama:
1.	Exact place/person from which/whom contraband articles are recovered and seized should be mentioned;
2.	Details of the counter, channel, place etc., where the search took place should be mentioned;
3.	Full description of the premises/conveyance from which the goods were seized should be given;
4.	Value of the goods as appearing on the import/export note and also the prevailing market rate should be given;
5.	Detailed inventory with quantity, description, marks, number, etc., of the goods recovered and seized should also be given.

Documents

1.	All documents prepare
2.	Loose documents and each written page of all diaries, registers, etc., must be numbered and signed and blank pages should be numbered separately;
3.	First and last pages in the registers, books, diaries, etc., must be signed in full, by the person from whom recovered and by the witnesses, where all the documents/papers cannot be attested.

Recording of Statement

Statement is given by a passenger whose baggageerson is searched by Customs Officials. The following should be taken into account while giving the statement:
1.	Statement (in duplicate) should be recorded in the language known to the person. If not, the same should be read out and explained to the passenger in his own language.
2.	Statement can be given voluntarily by the person being examined and the statement is to be recorded by the Customs Officials. Statement can also be recorded under an oath by the consent person stating that he shall tell the truth and nothing but truth.
3.	Statement is to be recorded in the presence of a Gazetted Officer.
4.	Giving false evidence in a statement is a punishable offence.


1.	Persons guilty of a punishable offence can be arrested.
2.	Customs Officials are empowered to arrest an offender.
3.	A person who is arrested has a right to consult or to be defended by legal practitioner of his choice. (Remand Application)

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