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California man recalls customs story during his relocation to India amid Wintrack's allegations against Chennai Customs

Wintrack Inc. has accused Chennai Customs officials of bribery practices and harassment in a social media post.

Updated on: Oct 4, 2025, 10:03:31 IST
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Amid the corruption and harassment charges against Chennai Customs by Wintrack Inc, a tweet by an X user has gone viral on social media. In a tweet, a man recalled an incident involving customs and his computer monitor when he relocated to India.

A man from California said what he had to do to get his computer monitor. (Representational image). (Unsplash)
A man from California said what he had to do to get his computer monitor. (Representational image). (Unsplash)

“When I moved to India, I was allowed one computer for personal use, so I shipped my monitor. I showed them the doc: one personal computer (inc monitor) allowed. They agreed but because I had no PC with it, I had to pay 100% of value in duty or bribe. Paid it. Monitor was broken,” Jacob Singh alleged. According to his LinkedIn bio, Singh hails from Oakland, California. However, he has been living in New Delhi for the past few years.

What did social media say?

An individual wrote, “When was this if you would like to share? Must have been a good monitor.” Singh replied, “2012. No, not really. But India also charged crazy duty on electronics so a replacement would have cost a lot.”

Another added, “My first return from the US 2003: bought a few things, got all bills, still, I was stopped at Mumbai customs. The officer took my passport and I started worrying about missing the connecting flight. When he could not extract money, emptied my bag on a table just to humiliate me.” A third posted, “For some reason it feels like corruption is ingrained within us.”

What did Wintrack say?

In a tweet, Chennai-based cargo firm Wintrack Inc. announced that it has decided to close its logistics operations in India. The company cited harassment and bribery demands from Chennai customs officials.

Also Read: Shashi Tharoor fumes after cargo firm shuts down India ops citing bribery: ‘Truly dismaying’

“From October 1, 2025, our company will cease import/export activities in India. For the past 45 days, Chennai Customs officials have relentlessly harassed us. After exposing their bribery practices twice this year, they retaliated, effectively crippling our operations and destroying our business in India. We deeply thank everyone who has supported us during these difficult times,” the company tweeted.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

  • Trisha Sengupta
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    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More