financial dealing with authorised CHA/Importers/ Exporters - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 14/2017

Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue Office of the Commissioner of Customs Custom House, New Harbour Estate, Thoothukudi - 628004. C. No. VIII/48/06/2016-cus. Pol.(PF) Date: 23.05.2017 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 14/2017 Subject: financial dealing with authorised CHA/Importers/ Exporters - reg. Attention of all Exporters / Importers/ Custom Brokers/ Customs Cargo Service Providers/ Clearing Agents / Steamer Agents/ Shipping agents/ Trade and Industry and Public is invited to the Public Notice No. 12/2010 dated 11.11.2010 issued by this Custom House, in which, guidelines were issued to Importers/ Exporters to ensure that only licenced Custom brokers are engaged by them and customs clearance work is not given to any unauthorised person. 2. In PTFC meetings Tuticorin Customs Broker's Association has repeatedly brought to the notice of this office that some Customs Brokers (in short CB ) are merely signing customs documents for monitory consideration without actually undertaking customs clearance work. It has been brought to the notice of this office that in such cases customs clearance work is undertaken by persons who are not having valid Customs Broker licence issued by competent authority. This is a matter of serious concern to the department and genuine trade. Hence in order to ensure that only licenced CBs undertake customs clearance work the following instructions are issued. 3. The CB shall obtain authorization only from the importer or exporter. He shall transact business in CFSs either personally or through his employees having valid H or G cards. Further the CB shall not sell or transfer otherwise the licence granted to him The CB shall raise the invoice/ bill on the Importer or Exporter only for the services rendered by them in respect of customs clearance of Imported or Export goods. The Importer or Exporter shall make payment to CB only and not to any other person for the services received by them in respect of customs clearance of Imported or Export goods. 4. Also, when a Bill of Entry or Shipping Bill is presented before the customs officers posted to the CFSs for registration, examination and clearance, they should examine genuineness of employees of the CB by verifying the H or G card, issued by CBLR section. Then only they shall admit the BOE or SB for registration Name along with the H or G card number of the employee of the C B presenting the BOE or SB shall be entered in the departmental comments column of the concerned BOE or SB while processing the bill. 5. The Customs Cargo Service Provider (in short CCSP ) shall allow, inside the CFS, only those employees of CB presenting the BOE or SB who are having valid H or G cards issued by CBLR section. The CCSP shall raise invoices/ bills only on the importer/ exporter or the CB for the services rendered by them in respect of imported or export goods. The importer/ exporter or the CB shall make payment to the CCSP through internet/ Demand Draft/ Cheque for the services availed. 6. Difficulties, if any, in implementation, may be brought to notice of this Office. ASHOK COMMISSIONER