Wintrack ceases import-export operations alleging harassment by Chennai Customs

According to the corporate’s web site, Wintrack permits consumers to effortlessly store from any China and Thailand e-commerce web site and revel in seamless doorstep supply wherever in India.

Taking to X on Wednesday (October 1, 2025), Wintrack claimed its “tough choice” comes after “repeated and unjustified harassment by officers at Chennai Customs” over the previous 45 days.

“Earlier this 12 months, once we uncovered cases of bribery, we confronted retaliatory actions which have severely impacted our skill to conduct enterprise. Despite our greatest efforts, the sustained stress has made it unattainable to proceed operations,” the corporate alleged.

The firm’s founder Prawin Ganeshan, in one other submit on X, stated Chennai Customs had raised a problem for the primary time this 12 months over charging cables not being declared individually for a massager cargo. “How can a manufacturing facility promote a massager and not using a charging cable? The charging cable is included as a part of the brand new product equipment; each new product requires a charging cable to operate,” he stated.

“Charging cables aren’t bought individually and are at all times listed within the packing listing. EPR and LMPC compliances had been manually requested for the primary time, inflicting delays and demurrages. The legislation has loopholes, and officers exploit them at their discretion,” he additional alleged.

Customs responds

Responding to Wintrack’s submit, Chennai Customs categorically denied the allegations made by the corporate and its founder.

“The allegations of harassment and non-cooperation are demonstrably false. At no stage was any cost or bribe demanded — all queries pertained strictly to necessary statutory compliance below Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, BIS Act 2016, Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011, and Customs Act 1962,” it stated.

“The importer’s social media posts reveal a calculated sample: allegations of corruption when dealing with authentic scrutiny, adopted by deletion of his thread when info of violation by importer are positioned on document. This selective narrative is a deliberate tactic to stress officers into releasing cargo with out following due course of. We categorically state that each motion taken was legally mandated, procedurally correct, and based mostly on documented violations found throughout examination,” Chennai Customs stated.

Chennai Customs stated it is not going to be deterred by false allegations from performing its statutory duties. “We stay dedicated to lawful, clear, {and professional} conduct whereas imposing laws designed to guard public well being, client security, and environmental requirements,” it stated.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, in a submit on X, clarified that the difficulty pertains to misdeclaration and misclassification by the importer. Chennai Customs has already responded on this facet. Subsequently, the importer has shared sure names and screenshots on Twitter. The matter has been famous, and all info can be duly examined. Necessary motion, as warranted below the legislation, can be taken, it assured.

The trade between the corporate and Chennai Customs triggered a debate on X over the functioning of Customs.