- I Paid A Bribe
- 14 years ago
- 2437 views
Welcome back to India!
- Customs, Excise and Service Tax
- Customs Check and Clearance
- Paid INR 2,500
While coming from the US at the Mumbai airport, I know the custom officers' routine. They target people with electronics the most, signaled by those who check the baggage through x-rays. The same happened to me as I am amateur photographer and was carrying an old DSLR with 3 lenses. But I was also going to take those items with me back to the US - I had my return tickets with me.
So, when the constable asked me to pay up 20$, I refused as I knew I could just ask the custom officer to make an entry into my passport of the camera and lenses which can be checked when I exit the country again.
When I said no, he said it's good if you settle for 20$ - if you go to custom officers, they would ask for more. As I did not want to pay anything, he took me to the officer. By this time, almost all passengers had taken their luggage and were going out and meeting their relatives, where my brother was waiting for me.
Anyway. So, officer A started emptying my camera and lenses and straight away said I would have to pay duty on them and he would list any price he wanted to make me pay a lot. Then, he asked me to open my two bags and started emptying everything from it. By this time, there were 2-3 more officers surrounding me and smirking and laughing. So, officer A then also mentioned I have to pay more duty on the other perfume etc gifts I was carrying - and I know for sure they were not more than allowable limits - as I always travel within limits.
I told him I know the rules and I want him to put entry of the camera+ lenses in my passport and then I wont have to pay the duty. He clearly said this to me "Yahan hum jo bolte hai vohi law hai" (Whatever I say is the law here). I was with him for almost an hour by now and he knew I was eager to get out, and my brother was waiting for 2 hours outside.
Finally, after arguing him one more time, I just accepted my defeat and ask him how much he wanted - he said just 50$. I was taken into a room - away from public - where I had to pay it.
I was never welcome to my own country in a better way ever again!