A Keralite NRI (Non-Resident Indian) staged a sit-in protest at Kochi's Nedumbassery Airport after he was reportedly not allowed to bring in an iPhone 18 Pro without paying heavy duties of Rs20,000 to Rs30,000. Ajas said the phone, which he had bought from Dubai, was for his personal use. According to Indian media reports, Nedumbassery Police has filed a case against Ajas Mohammed, for allegedly "interfering with the duty of customs officers".
The act has sparked a flurry on social media, with many expatriates voicing their concerns over what they see as unfair extortion and discrimination against NRIs.
Ajas, who is the founder of learning platform Eduport, alleged that the customs officers told him he would need to pay duties on the new phone, since he had a second phone; after he refused to pay, the phone was seized. Other passengers with iPhone Pros paid fees of Rs20,000 to Rs30,000, Ajas told reporters, adding that he refused to "give even one rupee unjustly".
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The NRI then said if he did not get his phone, he would peacefully remain in the airport till the device was given to him. Ajas alleged that Kerala's Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel forcefully removed him from the site.
NRIs, who took to social media to express solidarity with Ajas, claimed that customs officers routinely impose "unjust" duties, whereas others said that the implementation of laws depends on the "mood of the officer."
The customs officers allegedly told Ajas that duty must be paid on items with a value over Rs75,000, to which he countered that then, no one would be able to leave the airport with an iPhone, since Apple devices are typically costlier than that.
Ajas said he is in his contact with his lawyers to get his seized phone back.
What does Indian custom law say?
According to Indian customs law, personal effects include "all articles, whether new or used, which a passenger may reasonably require for personal use during the journey, taking into account the circumstances of travel, but excluding goods imported or exported for commercial purposes."
A circular issued in 2026 says "only used personal effects required for satisfying daily necessities of life are allowed duty free without limit."