CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 478

APPENDIX VI.

Suggestions made by the maritime provinces of India for making a prohibition under section

19 of the Sea Customs Act effective. Paragraph 29 of Despatch.)

BURMA.

It is suggested by the Financial Commissioner that bonds should be taken from all shippers of opium to secure the landing of the opium at its declared destination, the bond being cancelled only on a report from the authorities at the port of destination that the amount shipped had duly arrived. The Customs and Excise officers would also watch and search ships and make seizures on information as they now do for imports

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BENGAL.

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Clause 8 of section 167 of the Sea Customs Act prescribes the penalty for attempting to export in contravention of a prohibition under section 19. So far as the port of Calcutta is concerned, the direct shipment of opium to any particular country can be effectively prevented; but there is no means at present of controlling the transhipment at another port. Section 138 of the Act provides that before any goods exportable under particular rules or restrictions are permitted to be exported, the owner shall, if required so to do, give security by bond in such sum not exceeding twice the duty leviable on such goods as the Customs Collector directs with one sufficient surety, that such goods shall be duly shipped, exported and landed at the place for which they are entered outwards, or shall be otherwise accounted for to the satis- faction of such officer. The section cannot be applied in the case of provision opium because there is no duty leviable on such goods, but with a slight amendment the section would appear to give all the power that is required to make the prohibition absolutely effective.

Zaw

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BOMBAY.

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It should be arranged that all cases of opium smuggling detected abroad in the countries prohibiting import should be reported to this Custom House together with a full description of the consignment.

S. G. P. I.No. 647 Fin. D.-16-11-1911.-20.—

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