‘Unaccompanied baggage’ at Customs turns out to be goods with NOLIMIT tags!

Customs officials have seized a stock of goods that were found to be imported after providing authorities with false information.

It is said that the goods, worth over Rs. 200 million, have been brought into the country as ‘unaccompanied baggage’ in two 40ft. containers and were seized upon a tipoff.

However, despite the paperwork claiming the goods to be as such, footwear with tags of the popular retail line – ‘NOLIMIT’ as well as perfume, were found in one container.

In the other container, more goods for trading, such as footwear, cosmetics, perfume, pet food, clothes, dried and pieced turmeric as well as chocolates were found, reports say.

Although authorities had informed the relevant addresses on the paperwork, the containers remain unclaimed so far.

Since the cosmetics and perfumes have been imported without the permission of the NMRA, they will be confiscated and destroyed in the future, Customs add.

Noting that the goods have been imported in this manner with the objective of reaping massive profits, Customs officials point out that the raid had prevented a case of massive tax evasion.

The containers were inspected by Deputy Minister of Economic Development – Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando yesterday (Jan. 27). He was accompanied by several officials including Secretary to the President – Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Director General of Customs – Sarath Nonis, as well as Additional Director General of Customs and media spokesman – Seevali Arukgoda.

According to reports from Customs, 03 more such containers are to be inspected and necessary legal action to be taken.

Customs sources also say that several large scale clothing retailers have been charged with evading taxes.In a local context, ‘unaccompanied baggage’ refers to personal items that a traveler is bringing into Sri Lanka but are not physically carried with them at the time of their arrival. The goods, shipped separately, must arrive within a specific time frame after the person’s arrival to be considered for duty-free clearance as personal belongings.