Phuntsholing Custom officials were shown on BBS camera obediently performing their duty of dumping hundreds of cases of confiscated beer and energy drink, which could be worth hundreds of thousands. Import of those seized drinks were banned and therefore it was a job well done by the customs.
But what is the logic behind destroying the valuable goods when it could be auctioned outside the border to regain the rupee invested on importing it? Is it illegal to auction seized goods? or are we trying to prove our ethics?
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| Picture from Kuensel |
Bhutanese with Ngultrum currency are greeted with higher prices across the border because rupee issue is still bothering our economy, and on the other hand we seem like a rich country with luxury to dump beer which are imported on rupee. It's not the first time we are seeing such incidences- millions worth of tobacco were burned in last years. Why are we being so Asha Pasa?
I am at least happy that Phuntsholing Customs is going to sell the empty beer bottles and cans to scrap dealers to be exported to India- Is it more ethical to earn Nu.2 per empty bottle than to reimburse Rs.50 per beer bottle? In that case I suggest them to sell the metal caps and cartoon boxes as well. This may go on to invent our own economic theory called Asha Pasa Theory!
Hey Passa I would love to read your article soon...Bring it fast...
ReplyDeleteI am a customs officer and this is my 8th year with customs.....I had good times and as well bad times with my department.... Bad times were at times worse....As a law enforcer, There were times where I felt that we as Customs officials are nothing but a meat between the knife and the chopping board.............
The pic indeed shows lot more than Asha Passa theory of Bhutanese society...I am wordless now..I will try to come up with an article once I am done with my exams...
till then have a nice time.....
PSN
True! I had one of those days when I use to sell empty cans and beer bottles. I use to earn Nu.1 per bottle which was so reasonable as I could use this as my pocket money instead of asking from home :)
ReplyDeleteI miss those days. I just don't remember who the buyers were. I am sure it is the shopkeepers as they sell at double the price.
Well, Nu.20 a day. Not bad!!!