Kochi: Small logs of red sanders weighing 89 kg were seized from three Chinese nationals at the Nedumbassery International Airport here early on Saturday morning. The Air Intelligence Unit of the Customs Department here seized the logs worth around Rs.86,000 from Sheng Welping, Zheng Kaihong, and Xiao Fuyao.
Customs officials said the three foreigners had arrived in Bangalore on tourist visa and made their way to Kochi. They were scheduled to depart for Malaysia by a flight. The red sanders were kept in six bags in their checked-in baggage.
All three men had visited the country at least three times before. Customs officials are unsure whether they had smuggled red sanders on their previous trips as well. Department officials said that the foreigners did not speak English and thus, could not be interrogated. They were asked to pay a penalty of Rs.20,000 and the red sanders were confiscated by Customs.
24/11/13 The Hindu
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Customs officials said the three foreigners had arrived in Bangalore on tourist visa and made their way to Kochi. They were scheduled to depart for Malaysia by a flight. The red sanders were kept in six bags in their checked-in baggage.
All three men had visited the country at least three times before. Customs officials are unsure whether they had smuggled red sanders on their previous trips as well. Department officials said that the foreigners did not speak English and thus, could not be interrogated. They were asked to pay a penalty of Rs.20,000 and the red sanders were confiscated by Customs.
24/11/13 The Hindu
