By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 14, 2016: WILDLIFE trafficking is globally a huge business. Although it is difficult to estimate the exact value of such smuggling as a major part of such trade is done through legal trade route but it is guesstimated that it is worth more than USD 10 bn. This brings us to the latest case booked by the Delhi ICD Tughlakhabad Customs. Acting on intelligence that some importers were trying to smuggle in corals, a restricted item as per CITES, a close watch was kept at some containers coming from China and as soon as Bill of Entry was filed, the Customs sleuths pounced on the importer who had declared the item as Shilajit Stone!

On examination, although some quantity of stone was found but what widened the eyebrows was the presence of 15450 kg of Red Corals. Experts of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau were called on the spot and after examining the goods, they certified the item under Import as Organ Pipe Coral (Tubiporidae). Organ Pipe Coral (Tubiporidae) are covered under Appendix –II of CITES (other than fossils) which required CITES documents for export from exporting country and is a restricted item under CITES.

The value of Organ Pipe Coral (Tubiporidae) was estimated to Rs. 1.86 Crores.

As per the Customs Press Release, in his voluntary statement under Section 108 of the Customs Act 1962, the Proprietor of M/s Vijay Sons, Delhi admitted the presence of un-declared CORALs in the consignment. He also admitted about not possessing any Export Certificate as required under CITES.

Mr Kamal Jyoti, Chief Commissioner of Customs (Delhi Zone) informed that in a follow up action during search of the office cum godown of the importer, a large number of Deer Antlers (23.320 Kgs) which is a protected item under Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 were also recovered and seized.

The department has taken a slew of measures for ease of doing business and about 65% of bills of entry filed for home clearance are being assessed by an online system devised by Risk Management Division (RMD). These bills of entry are assessed and allowed clearance without any examination in the Import Shed. The department has reposed complete faith in the Importers about truthfulness of declarations for their import consignments and there is increasing trend towards assessment and clearance through this route. Simultaneously, a strict vigil is also being kept on unscrupulous elements attempting fraudulent imports through ICD-Imports, Tughlakabad, Delhi without disturbing the momentum of speedier clearances. In this Bill of Entry which was also under RMS the importer has breached the trust of the department and resorted to import of an item which is covered under CITES.

The importer was produced before the Judicial magistrate on 12.2.2016 and he was remanded to judicial custody.

The Chief Commissioner of Customs (Delhi Zone), New Delhi informed that it was a landmark case in the entire South Asia. Illegal trade of prohibited/restricted marine adversely affects global environment and already fragile ecosystem. Amidst rising concerns about climate change, the department has to be highly sensitive to all issues as outlined in Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and exhorted officers to counter all attempts at illegal activities involving violation of CITES with a iron hand. Mr Jyoti also informed that the department is committed towards facilitation of genuine importers and exporters and the Govt. Initiative towards ease of doing business have been implemented in letter and spirit but the same should not be misused by any unscrupulous importers.