Custom officials seize foreign currency from crew

Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, Aug 28 (UNI) Custom Officials have seized thousands of rupees, both in Indian and foreign currencies, from different ships in the past few days, Customs Commissioner P V R Reddy said today.

The officials seized 74,645 dollars from crew members aboard the vessel 'M V Sea Diamond-X' on August 21 and 38,115 USD and 2,000 Singapore dollars and Rs 42,800 from M V Lewek Robin on August 23, totalling approximately Rs 50 lakh.

In a press release, Customs Commissioner P V R Reddy said they had acted on credible information that these vessels were indulging in unlawful activities of selling bunkers and accumalating foreign currency.

The officials had intercepted the vessels at Kakinada Port and rummaged them.

The searches carried out had resulted in recovery of undeclared foreign currency from the crew members who reportedly accumalated it after selling diesel to the local fishermen.

UNI XR/AP RC AS1903