Amendment to Ch IX of the Customs Act, 1962 - Removal of goods from a customs station - Instructions regarding affixation of one-time-lock (OTL) - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO: 20/2016

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS CUSTOM HOUSE, PORT AREA, VISAKHAPATNAM - 530035 F. No. S4/1071/2016-Bonds Date: 21.09.2016 PUBLIC NOTICE NO: 20/2016 Subject: Amendment to Ch IX of the Customs Act, 1962 - Removal of goods from a customs station - Instructions regarding affixation of one-time-lock (OTL) - Reg Attention of all the Importers, Customs Brokers and the Members of the Trade is invited to the Board's Circular No. 17/2016-Customs dated 14.5, 2016 on the above subject. 2. The Warehouse (Custody Handling of Goods) Regulations, 2016 and the Special Warehouse (Custody Handling of Goods) Regulations, 2016 have been notified under notification no. 68 /16-Cus (NT) dated 14th May 2016 and no.69 / 16-Cus (NT) dated 14th May 2016 respectively. 3. The regulations prescribe the procedure to be followed by the licensee or bond officer, as the case may be, to permit deposit of the goods into a warehouse. The regulations require that goods arriving at the warehouse from a customs station shall be affixed with a one-time-lock (bottle seal) with its serial number endorsed upon the bill of entry for warehousing and the transport document. The warehouse keeper or bond officer, as the case may be, is required to inspect the seal and when it is found intact/ permit the goods to be unloaded at the warehouse. 4. Accordingly, in case of removal of goods from a Customs station for deposit into a warehouse, the container or means of transport (dosed trucks) should be affixed with a one-timelock (serially numbered bottle seal) by the proper officer at the customs station. The OTL number along with the date / time of its affixation should be invariably endorsed on the bill of entry and the transport document. All customs stations are required to maintain records incorporating the number of the OTL, Bill of Entry, truck number, container number (if applicable), date time of affixing the OTL and the name, designation telephone number of the officer affixing the OTL. 5. A similar procedure has been provided under the Warehoused Good (Removal) Regulations, 2016, which supersede the earlier Regulations of 1963, for removal of warehoused goods from one warehouse to another and from a warehouse to customs station for export. 6. The Principal Commissioner of Customs / Commissioner of Customs may permit movement of goods without affixation of such OTCs, where the nature of goods or their manner of transport so warrant (e.g. Liquid Bulk Cargo transported through Pipe Lines and Over Dimensional Cargo). 7 Difficulties, if any, may be brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner of Customs (Bonds) through e-mail ID :dcbonds-cusvzg@gov.in. C. RAJENDIRAN PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER CUTOMS