[Resolved]  DHL Express India — custom charges

I am keya majumdar. Boya company send me a microphone which value is $20 near about inr.1456 tracking number [protected]. I did not buy the item, the company send it to me as gift for review.

According to foreign trade act. The government has exempted gifts items received from foreign country to persons residing in india from the whole of custom duty under foreign trade act.in the present scenary import of goods up to the value of rs. 5, 000/- is allowed as gift, duty free. This exemption is allowed only for bonafide gifts imported by air or post. For the purpose of calculation of this value of rs. 5, 000/- the air flight or postal charges paid are not added. It is important to note that the value of rs. 5, 000/- is the value of the goods in the country from where the goods have been dispatched.

The foreign trade act.:

The bonafide gifts up to a value limit of rs.5, 000/-, imported by post, are exempt from basic and additional customs duties in terms notification no.171/93-cus, dated[protected]. Further, only those items can be imported as gifts, which are not prohibited for importation under foreign trade (Development and regulation) act, 1992. The sender of the gift may not necessarily be residing in the country from where the goods have been dispatched and any person abroad can send the gifts to relatives, business associates, friends, companies and acquaintances. The gifts have to be for bonafide personal use. The purpose of this stipulation is that the person receives the gift genuinely free and the payment is not made for it through some other means. The quantity and frequency of the gifts should not give rise to the belief that it is used as a route to transfer money. The gifts can be received by individuals, societies, institutions, like schools and colleges and even corporate bodies.

For calculating the value limit of rs.5, 000/- in case of imports of gifts, postal charges or the airfreight is not taken into consideration. The value of rs.5, 000/- is taken as the value of the goods in the country from where these were dispatched.

If the value of the gifts received is more than rs.5, 000/-, the receiver has to pay customs duty on the whole consignment, even if the goods were received free, unsolicited.in addition, at the discretion of the assistant/ deputy commissioner, if the goods are restricted for import, the receiver has a liability for penalty for such import, even if the goods have been sent unsolicited. The restricted goods are also liable to confiscation and receiver has to pay redemption fine in lieu of confiscation in addition to duty and penalty. Certain prohibited goods like narcotic drugs, arms, ammunition, obscene films/printed material etc. Are liable to absolute confiscation and the receiver is liable to penal action, even if the goods have been sent unsolicited.

Customs duty is chargeable on gifts assessed over rs.5, 000/- by the customs.in case of post parcel, the customs department assesses the duty payable and the postal department collects the assessed duty from the receiver of the gift and subsequently deposits it with the customs.

Now you are charging me inr 742 and also dhl charges total inr 1, 922 something more than the piece of the item as name of custom fees as the item is not custom-able. I am really disappoint with dhl.

I attached the conversation between the company and me.

Keya majumdar.

Contact: [protected]