From iPhones to smartwatches: B’luru Customs to auction seized gadgets on Dec 30 | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Customs (airport) will hold an e-auction of 227 seized, confiscated, and unclaimed electronic items on Dec 30 through Metal Scrap Trade Corporation (MSTC) Limited platform. The e-auction will be open only to registered buyers, and all items will be offered as a single lot.The inventory, stored at Kempegowda International Airport customs godown, mostly consists of premium smartphones, including 175 Apple iPhones across multiple variants, 26 Android flagship phones, 21 Apple smartwatches, four iPads, and one 65-inch television.The items, seized under 22 separate detention memos, will be sold strictly on an ‘as-is-where-is’ basis, placing responsibility for quality assessment and valuation on bidders. By offering the seized electronic items in one consolidated lot, the auction is aimed at bulk traders, refurbishers, and authorised recyclers.Prospective bidders can inspect the nature, quantity, and condition of the items until Dec 29. No complaints or claims regarding defects, shortages, or functionality will be entertained after the bidding process.“Participation is restricted by tax and compliance requirements. The auction falls under reverse charge mechanism (RCM), making a valid GST registration mandatory and transferring the full responsibility of tax payment and statutory compliance to the buyer,” said a senior Bengaluru customs official.Payment timelines are rigid, with strict provisions for post-bid earnest money deposits, balance payments, and penalties for delay. Any failure to adhere to these timelines can result in forfeiture of deposits and temporary deactivation of the bidder’s MSTC account.
