Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), in its newsletter dated 28th July 2025, announced the nationwide rollout of a new Bulk Finalization Module in the Indian Customs EDI System (ICES) to assist officers in expediting the closure of long-pending provisionally assessed Bills of Entry, especially in large volumes linked to single IECs. Currently, the module supports cases with no value loading; a second phase for uniform value loading is under development. Separately, the NACIN Palasamudram campus received recognition for “Architectural Aesthetics in Structures” from CE&CR, commending its quality and design. In enforcement actions, Chennai’s SIIB officers intercepted 106 MT of areca nut, valued at approximately ₹6.3 crore, diverted illegally from an FTWZ SEZ to the domestic market using deceptive practices such as fake challans and tampered bags. The Managing Director and General Manager of the implicated warehouse were arrested. Additionally, Ahmedabad Customs AIU seized 24.827 kg of smuggled gold, worth ₹25.57 crore, from two passengers arriving from Dubai at Surat International Airport. The gold, concealed in paste form within clothing and accessories, was detected through coordinated efforts with CISF and thorough surveillance. These updates reflect both administrative improvements and ongoing vigilance in customs operations.
CBIC Chairman Newsletter dated 28th July, 2025
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
28th July, 2025
DO No. 30/News Letter/CH(IC)/2025
Dear colleague
Officers often find the task of finalizing provisionally assessed Bills of Entry – sometimes running into thousands for a single IEC – a significant challenge and time consuming. In line with CBIC’s commitment to timely finalization of assessments, the Directorate General of Systems has introduced a new Bulk Finalization Module in ICES for such Bills of Entry. This functionality is designed to assist field formations in accelerating the clearance of long-pending provisional assessments. After a successful pilot, it has now been rolled out across all Customs locations. Systems’ Advisory No. 45/2025 may be referred to by officers for a step-by-step guide. In its first phase, the functionality enables bulk finalization in cases without any value loading. The second phase, covering cases with uniform value loading, is currently under development and should be ready for deployment in the coming days.
The NACIN project at Palasamudram has been honoured with the Award in “Architectural Aesthetics in Structures category” by the Civil Engineering and Construction Review (CE&CR) organisation. The project was adjudged the winner from among several national contenders, recognizing its excellence in design, construction, and visual impact. This recognition is a testament not only to the dedication of CPWD officials and other construction professionals involved in the project, but also to the vision and perseverance of team NACIN, who worked tirelessly to ensure that the Palasamudram campus reflects the highest standards of training infrastructure. Their collective efforts have culminated in a world-class institutional facility that combines quality, sustainability, and architectural finesse.
In a notable action by the officers of SIIB, Chennai, 55 MT of imported areca nut was intercepted from a private warehouse for clandestinely diverting into the domestic market. On further examination, it was revealed that the consignment had been illicitly removed from a nearby FTWZ SEZ unit. Cut-open bottle seals and other corroborative material were also found at the premises. A swift search of the SEZ unit led to the discovery of digital evidence indicating a prior diversion of 51 MT using forged delivery challans taking the total detection to 106 MT having duty implication of about Rs. 6.3 Crores. The perpetrators had employed a deceptive modus operandi – tampering with bag counts by splitting and duplicating contents of damaged arecanut bags into two so that the bag count remained intact. The Managing Director and General Manager of the warehouse unit have been arrested. This case exemplifies the vigilance and prompt action of the officers in unearthing sophisticated methods of duty evasion. Well done!
A significant case against smuggling of gold has been booked by Ahmedabad Customs. The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Surat International Airport seized 24.827 kilograms of gold valued at Rs. 25.57 crore. Acting on detailed passenger profiling, surveillance, and corroborative inputs from CISF personnel, officers intercepted two passengers arriving from Dubai. A meticulous personal search led to the recovery of gold in paste form ingeniously concealed in modified clothing, footwear, and handbags. Both the passengers were arrested. The case highlights the evolving concealment methods used in smuggling and the role of vigilant and coordinated efforts of the Customs and security agencies in curbing them. Excellent detection!
Till next week!
Yours sincerely,
(Sanjay Kumar Agarwal)
All Officers and Staff of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes 86 Customs.
