Temporary Banned Items by Indian Customs

From time to time Indian Customs ban certain item due to security reasons.

Recently 7,000 toy helicopters confiscated from passengers over the last two years.

The Ministry of Communication and IT had instructed the airport Customs department in 2010 to seize high frequency radio-controlled toy helicopters owing to security reasons. Customs authorities, however, were not given guidelines on the disposal of the same and are now facing a space crunch in their warehouses.

Restrictions have been imposed on the import of aero models that run on high radio bandwidths because of their possible interference with the communication networks of security agencies.

Intelligence agencies suggested a ban on such toys and the Ministry of Communication and IT issued a notification on September 16, 2010 (a copy of which is with SMD) and the Customs department was asked to confiscate all such imports. The ministry issued another letter on October 5, 2010 in which it cleared which frequencies were to be permitted.