Customs to affix one-time lock on goods reaching warehouse

“The regulations require that goods arriving at the warehouse from a customs station shall be affixed with a one-time-lock (bottle seal) with its serial number endorsed upon the bill of entry for warehousing and the transport document,” said the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). 

The Warehouse (Custody & Handling of Goods) Regulations, 2016 and the Special Warehouse (Custody & Handling of Goods) Regulations, 2016 have been notified. The warehouse keeper or bond officer must inspect the seal and when it is found intact, permit the goods to be unloaded at the warehouse.

 As per the regulations, in case of removal of goods from a customs station for deposit into a warehouse, the container or means of transport (closed trucks) should be affixed with a one-time lock by the proper officer at the customs station.

 All customs stations are required to maintain records incorporating the number of the one-time lock (OTL), bill of entry, truck number, container number, date and time of affixing the OTL, and certain other information. However, senior officials of Customs may permit movement of goods without affixation of OTLs, where the nature of goods or their manner of transport so warrant (like liquid bulk cargo transported through pipe lines and over dimensional cargo).