Import – Clearance of imported consignments of diamonds, precious stones, precious metal (in any form), semi-precious stones, pearls, jewellery made of gold or any other precious metal with or without studding industrial diamonds including powders of both natural and synthetic and synthetic stones - Instructions - Customs - Public Notice No. 6/2016

Principal Commissioner of Customs (Import) ACC, Sahar, Mumbai III Public Notice No. 6/2016 Dated 31/05/2016 Import Clearance of imported consignments of diamonds, precious stones, precious metal (in any form), semi-precious stones, pearls, jewellery made of gold or any other precious metal with or without studding industrial diamonds including powders of both natural and synthetic and synthetic stones - Instructions Kind attention of all importers, exporters, members of trade and industry Associations, Customs Brokers, Customs Brokers Association, Airlines and others in drawn to Public Notice No. 13/2010, dated 15-10-2010 issued vide F. No. Air Cust /24-90/Admin. Tech by the Commissioner of Customs, C.S.I. Airport, Mumbai and Public Notice No. 14/2012, dated 4-5-2012 and Standing Order 11/2014, dated 8-10-2014 issued vide F. No. S/3-Misc-Pro-195/2010 ACC by the Addl. Commissioner of Customs (Import), Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai and Public Notice No. 01/2014, dated 17-1-2014 issued vide F. No. S/3-Misc-PRO-596/2013-14 ACC by the Commissioner of Customs (Import), Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai regarding Customs Clearance facility at the premises of Bharat Diamond Bourse, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai and the restrictions for issue of clearance of imported consignment of diamonds, precious stones, semi-precious stones, pearls including fresh water pearls, jewellery made of gold or any other precious metals with or without studding, Industrial diamonds including powders of both natural and synthetic and synthetic stones from the Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai, and import of Gold and Gold Dore Bars Procedure and Guidelines respectively. 2. Inspite of the above instructions, instances have come to notice that consignments of precious metals are being cleared from ACC, Mumbai and trade has also represented the difficulties faced in clearance/ transshipment of such Consignments. 3. In view of the representations and difficulties faced by the trade, the whole procedure of clearance of imported consignment of diamonds, precious stones, precious metal (in any form), semi-precious stones, pearls including fresh water pearls, jewellery made of gold or any other precious metal with or without studding industrial diamonds including powders of both natural and synthetic and synthetic stones and Transshipment was examined. After consultation with the trade/stake holders, and upon deliberations, following instructions are being issued in supersession of all earlier instructions issued by this office: (i) Henceforth, import and clearance of imported consignments of diamonds, precious stones, precious metal (in any form, as defined in note 4 of Chapter 71 of Customs Tariff Act, 1975 ), semi-precious stones, pearls including fresh water pearls, jewellery made of gold or any other precious metal with or without studding, industrial diamonds including powders of both natural or synthetic and synthetic stones and other items as detailed in the Annexure, will not be allowed from Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, Mumbai and the same will be cleared at PCCCC, BDB, Mumbai after following due process. However in exceptional cases of consignment of alloys of precious metals of voluminous nature where the goods cannot be packed in a packages of dimensions of 24 x 24 x 24 inches and the weight exceeding 30 kgs. will be allowed to be cleared in air Cargo Complex with assistance of valuation from the PCCCC, BDB. (ii) Clearance of all consignment of gold and dore bars will be allowed to be continued at the Air Cargo Complex as per Public Notice No. 1/2014, dated 17-1-2014 issued vide F. No. S/3-Misc-PRO-596/2013-14 by Commissioner of Customs (Import), Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai. (iii) The consignments mentioned above at Para 3(i) shall be clearly declared in the Import Manifest as Transshipment Cargo to the Bharat Diamond Bourse and will be prepared on separate sheets annexed to IGM as required in the Import Manifest (Aircraft) Regulations, 1976 . On arrival, the goods will be escorted by the Import Freight Officer (I.F.O) to the strong room of M/s. MMTC, Air Cargo Complex, for safe Custody, pending transshipment to Bharat Diamond Bourse, BKC (PCCCC). The Import Freight Officer will verify details of the packages with the Import manifest and note any short landing of the packages. The responsibility for the custody of the cargo including the transshipment will be Bharat Diamond Bourse, BDB will act as an agent of the airlines for receipt of parcels of Air Cargo Complex and transportation to PCCCC. (iv) Because of any rare situational reasons, if a consignment of Precious Cargo arrives at Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, as general cargo and gets deposited at MIAL W/H, the importer/consol agent/custom broker should intimate the same to the AC/DC of the Transshipment Permit (T.P.) Cell. AC/DC will allow transshipment of Precious Cargo from Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai to PCCCC, BKC, Mumbai as per Public Notice No. 01/2015-16, dated 9-4-2015 issued by the Commissioner of Customs (General), ACC, Mumbai. All such consignments shall be transferred under preventive escort to Precious Cargo Customs Clearance Centre, for clearance after amendment from General Cargo to VAL Cargo. These amendments will be treated as Major Amendments and option of adjudication may be exercised on the basis of the facts of the case on the case to case basis. (v) Inspite of the above instructions, if Airline files an IGM and Console Agent/Importer/Customs Broker files Bills of Entry at Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai, it will be viewed very seriously and these cases will be transferred to PCCCC after following the adjudication process and Transshipment process as mentioned in Para 2 above and in P.N. 13/2010, dated 15-10-2010, issued by the Commissioner of Customs, C.S.I. Airport Mumbai. 4. Standing Order No. 11/2014, dated 8-10-2014 stands rescinded with issuance of this Public Notice. 5. Difficulties, if any, faced in implementation of this Public Notice may be brought to the notice of the undersigned. 6. This issues with the approval of the Principal Commissioner of Customs (Import), ACC Commissioner of Customs (Export), ACC.