An Indian expatriate staged a sit-in protest at Kochi’s Nedumbassery airport after customs officials allegedly seized an iPhone 18 Pro he had purchased in Dubai following a dispute over import duty, according to media reports.
Ajas Mohammed, founder of the learning platform Eduport, said the phone was intended for personal use and questioned the demand for customs duty. He alleged that officials told him he had to pay the charges because he was already carrying another mobile phone.
According to a Khaleej Times report published on October 25, Mohammed refused to pay the duty, following which the handset was seized. He claimed that other passengers carrying iPhone Pro models had paid between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 in customs charges.
Mohammed insisted that he would not pay what he considered an unjust demand and said he would continue his peaceful protest until the phone was returned. He also alleged that Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel forcibly removed him from the protest site.
The incident has triggered a debate on social media, with several non-resident Indians questioning the treatment of passengers returning from overseas and the enforcement of customs regulations at Indian airports.
According to media reports, Nedumbassery police have registered a case against Mohammed for allegedly interfering with the duties of customs officers. He said he was in touch with his lawyers to seek the return of his phone.
Under Indian customs regulations, personal effects generally include new or used articles that passengers may reasonably require for personal use during their journey, excluding goods imported for commercial purposes. However, duty-free eligibility is subject to applicable baggage rules and exemptions, and personal use alone does not automatically guarantee exemption from import duty.
A 2026 circular reportedly states that used personal effects required for daily necessities are allowed duty-free without a value limit. The specific legal basis for the seizure and the duty demand in Mohammed’s case was not immediately clear.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
