The ‘empty’ container, loaded with medicines, that landed at the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), Vallarpadam, along with a full consignment of empty containers, was released to the shipping line after paying a redemption fine and penalty to the Customs authorities for misdeclaration.
The shipping company CMA-CGM, had to pay a fine of `3.30 lakh and penalty of `1.10 lakh.
“The shipping line authorities have paid the amount and the container has been cleared and delivered to them.
“The value of the medicines loaded in the container is estimated to be around Rs 40 lakh,” said a senior official of the Customs unit.
The container marked ‘empty’ reached the ICTT on September 23. When the terminal authorities opened the container, they found it loaded with cartons of medicines.
The container came from Port Klang, Malaysia. After frantic communication between Kochi and Malaysia, it was found that the container was shipped from Brussels to Sydney and had got mixed up with the empty containers at Port Klang.
Since then, the container and the cargo was under the custody of the Customs authorities.
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