Customs detain Ekta for excess baggage

Producer Ekta Kapoor had a brief encounter with the customs authorities after she arrived from Bangkok with excess baggage on Sunday night.

Producer Ekta Kapoor had a brief encounter with the customs authorities after she arrived from Bangkok with excess baggage on Sunday night.

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The Mumbai airport customs found apparels and purses worth around Rs1 lakh in her baggage after she arrived by Thai Airways flight TG-317 at around 11pm.

A customs batch headed by deputy commissioner Sameer Wankhede stopped Ekta while she was crossing the green channel.

Only those passengers who do not have anything to declare can walk through the green channel.

On checking her three bags, the customs authorities found around 50 apparels and 8 international brand purses.

Customs authorities levied fine and penalty of about Rs50,000 and let her off.

In her statement to the authorities, Ekta told them that she was not aware of the rules that she was needed to declare even the goods of this value.

As per rules only goods worth Rs25,000 are allowed duty free in a passenger’s baggage.

Passengers carrying goods above this amount have to take the red channel and declare the goods for payment of duty on excess baggage.

A spokesperson for Ekta said that she has not received an official statement from her.