How did you clear the consignment of metal scrap that included live shells?
Customs does a selective examination. It has limited infrastructure. Leave aside detecting explosives, we lack simple equipment like a hand-held camera to check goods. We do extensive checking only if there is a tip-off from intelligence agencies. Otherwise consignments are cleared after selective examination of imported consignments, as per the trade notification of November 2003. This means that in normal cases we check 25 per cent of the total import. This goes up to 50 per cent, and sometimes 100 per cent checking, if the waste is coming from a war-torn country.

Could you not detect shells in BSSL consignment?
How can we intercept 20 small shells mixed in 20 tonnes of steel scrap without any equipment? Imagine this: a team of one inspector and one superintendent has to check 80 containers of steel scrap daily. Can two officers do it properly? So we have to rely on factors like the importing company's profile, where the material is coming from and what is the said nature of the material.

If you find hazardous waste in a consignment, what action do you take?
Union ministry of environment and forest has not banned the import of hazardous waste. Its recycling is allowed, provided prior permission is taken from the ministry. When we intercept hazardous waste, first we check the importer's licence. In case the importer does not have permission from the ministry, we inform the police and a criminal case is registered.