Rummaging in Imports

• What is Rummaging? 
• How does Rummaging work? 
• Is Rummaging done in all vessels arrival? 
• Who is the authority for Rummaging?.

Once after arrival of cargo at a customs location, the necessary details of arrival of goods have to be filed with customs station which is known as Import General Manifest. IGM is filed in a specified format legally to be followed by respective customs department. IGM can be amended later with necessary formalities and procedures. However, the omission of deletion in filing IGM willfully comes under ‘smuggling’ activities and thereby the customs preventive officials may take necessary steps to cross check whether all goods arrived at said customs location have been declared in IGM. Such customs officers are authorized to board the vessel or aircraft to take necessary suitable declaration, crew property list etc to confirm no items have been left out to declare in IGM. This thorough checking by customs preventive officials in a vessel or aircraft is called Rummaging. Rummaging is carried out only when the authorities required to be examined and not for all shipments arrive.