Fedex — Custom duty charged but no proof of customs demand given

Address:

411001

We were recently shipped few samples of small personal healthcare devices from Marblehead, USA to Pune through Fedex tracking no.[protected]. Once the package arrived at Mumbai Customs Courier Terminal, we were asked by Fedex for Invoice copy from shipper and price list of the products. We provided an Invoice from the shipper declaring that the articles were merely samples for evaluation and did not hold any commercial value. We did not pay anything to the shipper for the articles as they were free samples of a new product the purchase price had not been decided. Even after providing all the required documents and information, Fedex told us that customs has arrived at a arbitrary assessable value of Rs.45000.00 and slapped a custom duty demand of Rs.11900.00 + Cess on us. Since the package was urgently required as our consequent process was stuck due to the delay, we agreed to pay the custom duty demand even though the amount had no practical basis. We collected the package but Fedex has not provided any proof that Customs had actually demanded the amount and that they have paid the said amount Rs.12270.00. We doubt that Fedex has paid anything to the customs.