Going to Bahrain? Don't carry Pan; Display Boards at Airports indicating items banned in Middle-Eastern countries
IN a Public Interest Litigation filed in the Madras High Court in 2006, the High Court had advised the Government, in the interest of the Indian citizens going abroad especially to the Middle-East countries, to put display boards/notice boards in Airports/seaports indicating items banned in these countries like Khas Khas (Poppy seeds), to avoid criminal prosecution of Indian nationals visiting Middle-East countries.
The CBEC states,
Poppy seeds (commonly known as ‘Khas Khas') is classifiable under Tariff Item 1207 91 00 of the First Schedule to the Tariff Act, 1975. Its import into the country is subjected to certain conditions imposed by the DGFT to ensure that these have been grown legally in exporting country as per requirements of International Narcotics Control Board. Further, imports are also allowed only against registration with the Narcotics Commissioner prior to import and is subject to Plant Quarantine requirements. Similarly, many countries have prohibited / restricted import of Poppy Seeds (Khas Khas) into their countries. Import of Indian Pan and derivative is prohibited for import in the Kingdom of Bahrain for the reason to preserve its environment.
So the Board has directed that at prominent places at airports/seaports where the passengers depart, to put display boards/notice boards mentioning the items that are banned in Middle-Eastern countries but are of common use which the departing passengers may carry in his baggage. The ‘Khas Khas' and ‘Indian Pan and derivative' may be specifically mentioned as these are commonly used by general public in India but are prohibited in the Middle – East countries.
Board wants the Commissioners and Chief Commissioners to do the needful at the earliest.
In fact this should have been done long ago – at least when the Government got the notice from the High Court in 2006. As they say, better late than never.
In fact the Customs should be doing this for all countries. Maybe the Indian Customs officers should be for training with the Customs Departments of the top twenty countries that Indians usually go to and then they can be posted as Customs counsellors for those countries at our airports.
An innocent but indecent pan chewing Indian getting arrested in Bahrain is a national shame.
CBEC Letter in F.No.520/42/2009-Cus.VI Dated November 11, 2009