The controversy over the attempted import of a photocopier shipment through the Kochi port took a new turn on Thursday with the Customs Department ordering two of the importers to re-export the shipment.
According to Customs officials, over 3,100 machines out of the 8,000-odd machines arrived in the Kochi port would be sent back immediately as per the order. The order, following directions from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board and the Kerala High court, also seeks a redemption fine of ₹1.2 crore on the importers – ₹1 crore on Athul Automation and ₹30 lakh on Parag Domestic Appliances.
“The order stipulates re-export or destruction of the consignment by the party who imported it,” said a senior customs official. The order was issued by Customs Commissioner K. Raghavan who demitted office on February 28.
Meanwhile, the department has also issued show-cause notices to nine other importers who imported photocopier machines using the same route. The department has already commenced adjudication of the 63 consignments in 40-feet containers, each carrying between 100 and 120 photocopiers.
The officials have seized around 90 container shipments with each shipment carrying between100 and 120 Multifunctional Digital Printers imported mainly from the U.S. and Germany. The printers were imported by Kolkata-based companies. They contain poisonous elements such as cadmium, selenium and iridium. Though the importers approached the High Court after the Customs denied permission to import the consignment, the court refused to interfere in the Customs probe.
Roughly 25,000 printers have passed through Kochi in the past three years, which made customs officials suspect that they were being brought in as dangerous e-waste. Alerted by the report, the Pollution Control Board directed the Customs Department on February 11 to make the importers re-export the photocopiers seized at the Kochi port.
