Juan Global Trading Vs Principal Commissioner of Customs (Madras High Court)
The Madras High Court heard a writ petition filed by Juan Global Trading against the Principal Commissioner of Customs and two other respondents, seeking an order to detain a consignment of copper scrap.
The petitioner had ordered a quantity of copper scrap from the second respondent at the request of the third respondent and had already made payment to the second respondent. The goods were shipped from the State of Georgia and intended for delivery in the UAE. The petitioner alleged that the second respondent committed fraud and planned to deliver the goods to an entity other than the third respondent in the UAE.
The goods were being transhipped in a ship liner scheduled to briefly halt at the Mundra International Container Terminal Ltd Port in Gujarat on October 17, 2025, and depart for the UAE a day later. Since the petitioner had not received payment from the third respondent or the proposed new recipient, the petitioner sought a writ of mandamus from the Madras High Court to direct the Customs (first respondent) to detain the goods.
The petitioner’s counsel relied on Section 54 of the Customs Act, 1962, which deals with the transhipment of goods.
