Customs dept puts an end to 50-yr-old woman's toy story
The Mumbai Airport Customs detained a 50-year-old woman returning from the US on Sunday and seized sex toys, designer lingerie, gold jewellery, an iPad and branded purses collectively worth around Rs 8.9 lakh from her.
The Mumbai Airport Customs detained a 50-year-old woman returning from the US on Sunday and seized sex toys, designer lingerie, gold jewellery, an iPad and branded purses collectively worth around Rs 8.9 lakh from her.
Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) sources said the woman was carrying more than five pieces of sex toys and around 60 designer lingerie items totally worth around Rs 2.5 lakh.
The woman arrived by a Singapore Airlines flight around 11.30am. She was diverted by a Customs batch headed by deputy commissioner (Customs) Sameer Wankhede while trying to cross the green channel.
Only a passenger who doesn't have anything to declare can pass through the green channel.
She was later handed over to the AIU. Mahendra Pal, additional commissioner of Customs, AIU, confirmed the development.
Import and export of sex toys is banned under section 292 of the Indian Penal Code. The section bans obscene objects that could be sold, hired, publicly exhibited or circulated.
Lingerie items are not allowed to be brought in personal baggage if they are in commercial quantity.
The woman claimed that she had taken the gold jewellery from India and was returning with the same.
The Customs authorities would verify her claim. She also said that she wasn't aware of the rules for the import of sex toys and lingerie.
The Customs found that none of the items were concealed and they were kept in her baggage. The authorities allowed the woman to go after recording her statement.
"While the sex toys would be destroyed, other items would be released after the valuation and payment of duty or penalty," said an AIU official.