India
Kochi Airport Sees Dispute Over Customs Duty on New iPhone
An NRI passenger from Kozhikode, Ajas Muhamad, was booked by the Nedumbassery police after refusing to pay a customs duty of nearly ₹30,000 on a new iPhone 18 Pro he had bought in Dubai. The dispute centers on whether a newly purchased device qualifies as a personal item exempt from duty. Ajas said the phone was for his personal use and that carrying two devices should not automatically trigger a duty. Customs officials, however, held that the new phone did not meet the exemption for used personal effects. He arrived at Nedumbassery airport from the UAE in October with the new iPhone and an older phone he had been using. Customs officials questioned him about the new device and informed him that he would have to pay duty to take it out of the airport. The amount demanded was reported to be between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000. Ajas refused to pay, claiming the phone was for his own use and that other passengers on the same flight had faced similar demands. After the disagreement escalated, he staged a sit‑in protest at the airport. CISF personnel intervened and escorted him away from the customs area. Customs officials filed a complaint alleging that he had obstructed them from performing their duties, and the Nedumbassery police registered a case against him. Ajas left the phone in customs custody and said he would challenge the decision legally.
The dispute has drawn attention to the Baggage Rules, 2026, which came into force on 2 February. Under these rules, eligible Indian residents, tourists of Indian origin and certain foreign nationals are entitled to a general duty‑free allowance of ₹75,000 when arriving by air. The rules also allow used personal effects required for daily necessities of life to be brought into India without duty. However, this does not mean every newly purchased electronic item is automatically exempt simply because the passenger intends to use it personally. The rules define personal effects as articles, new or used, that a passenger may reasonably require for personal use during a journey, excluding goods brought in for commercial purposes. The specific duty‑free provision for personal effects refers to used items required for daily necessities. New purchases are also subject to the general allowance and other applicable conditions. Ajas reportedly bought the iPhone in Dubai for around Dh5,950, a value above the ₹75,000 general allowance. Customs officials treated the new device as a dutiable purchase, while Ajas questioned why it should not qualify as a personal‑use item. The incident has since triggered debate among NRIs and frequent international travellers, many of whom have shared similar experiences at airport customs counters.