2,000 parcels of 13 angadia firms from Surat and Mumbai seized at Borivali station

SURAT: In a major crackdown on jewellers and traders evading taxes, a team of officials from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Central Excise departments along with railway police seized more than 2,000 parcels of valuable goods including diamonds and jewellery of 13 angadia firms (the unofficial network of banking and courier services) from Surat and Mumbai at the Borivali railway station on late Tuesday night.
Industry sources said that the angadia couriers had been targeted ahead of the Diwali festival and the assembly election in Maharashtra. Valuable goods worth crores of rupees have been seized by the department officials.
Sources said that the raid was conducted on the angadia couriers in the Gujarat Mail Express, which departs from Mumbai at 12 am. When the couriers boarded the train from Borivalli to Surat, the tax officials along with Mumbai railway police staff apprehended more than 20 couriers of 13 angadia firms from Surat and Mumbai. More than 2,000 parcels of valuable goods have been seized for further investigation.
The raids conducted by the tax officials ahead of Diwali festival has angered the angadia firms as well as the diamantaires and jewellery manufacturers in Surat.
President of Surat Angadia Association, Mahendra Patel told TOI, “We understand that there is Assembly election in Mumbai, but that doesn’t mean that the tax officials will unnecessarily harass the couriers. Stock worth crores of rupees has been seized and it will take another few days for the officials to release it.”
Patel added, “We have represented the issue to the top industry bodies to resolve the issue. After demonetisation and GST, we are dealing in white goods only. However, all the parcels I believe will have proper documentation.”
Regional chairman of Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), Dinesh Navadiya added, “The council has started efforts to see that all the parcels seized by the tax department are released at the earliest. If need be, we will take up the issue at the higher level.”