In a major reform aimed at increasing transparency and minimizing misuse of power, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has revamped its customs arrest and seizure reporting procedures. The new guidelines now mandate the inclusion of a Digit ID, along with critical details such as date, time, place of arrest, and personal information of the individuals involved.
What is Digit ID?
The Digit ID is a unique digital identifier assigned to each enforcement case, enabling real-time tracking through CBIC’s internal systems. This move is set to revolutionize how customs violations—including smuggling, commercial fraud, and export scheme misuse—are documented and monitored.
Revised Reporting Format to Boost Accountability
According to an internal CBIC communication accessed by Economic Times, customs officials are now required to file detailed incident reports for both arrest and non-arrest cases where evasion or offence is detected. These reports must include a description of the offence and are to be submitted promptly via email to senior CBIC officials, including those in the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM).
Key Benefits of the Digit ID System
Senior CBIC officials believe that integrating Digit ID will significantly enhance central monitoring and administrative oversight. Experts in the field suggest that this will empower data analytics, support trend identification, and improve risk profiling.
“By assigning a unique identifier to each case, authorities can now monitor enforcement actions in real-time and ensure centralised, data-driven governance,” said Amit Maheshwari, Tax Partner at AKM Global.
Why This Reform Matters
Previously, seizure reports were often limited to arrest scenarios, and there was no clear mechanism or timeline for reporting non-seizure cases. This gap left room for fact manipulation and selective disclosure. The revamped procedure ensures:
- Timely and uniform reporting
- Improved inter-departmental coordination
- Reduced chances of data manipulation
- Enhanced transparency and reduced misuse of authority
A Multi-Layered Oversight Framework
The updated process strengthens CBIC’s internal checks by ensuring that each case reaches critical enforcement bodies like the DRI and DGARM, thus creating a multi-tiered digital oversight framework.
This digital transformation is a crucial step toward efficient enforcement, smarter customs monitoring, and stronger accountability across India’s indirect tax and customs administration.
Notification Details
Instruction No. 10/2025-Customs
Date: 13/05/2025
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