Customs Dept seized 46 pistols, other illegal items in FY16

Forty six blank firing pistols and three blank firing revolvers were seized at Foreign Post Office by the Customs Department in 2015-16, Parliament was informed today.
"In the year 2015-16, 46 blank firing pistols, 3 blank firing revolvers, 7 barrels and 2 pneumatic cylinders were seized at Foreign Post Office, Delhi and in the year 2016-17, 1.02 kg of drugs (N-Methyl-3, 4-Methylene-dioxy Amephetamine) were seized at Foreign Post office, Mumbai by the Customs Department," Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
He added that Customs field formations keep constant vigil on the illicit imports/smuggling through ports, airports, land custom stations, inland container depots, foreign post offices and courier terminals.

"The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) issues alerts and modus operandi circulars from time to time to prevent any kind of smuggling. On detection of smuggling, strict action is taken against the offenders in accordance with the provisions of Customs Act, 1962," he said.
In a separate query, the Minister said India Post is offering 'My Stamp' service, which is personalisation of stamps and are offered to corporate entities and educational institutions.
"One My Stamp sheets contains 12 stamps with face value of each stamp being Rs 5 and the cost of one sheet is Rs 300... During the current financial year 2016-17, the Department proposes to earn a revenue of Rs 87 crore through My Stamp service," Sinha added.

The institution would be required to get atleast 5,000 sheets printed and more can be ordered in multiples of 5,000.
Sinha further said the Department has received proposals for printing 5,000 stamps each from Montford Brother's of St Gabriel, Amazon India and SNDT Women's University.