Customs sleuths get a call from yacht ‘owner’

KOCHI: Customs sleuths probing the unauthorized visit of a Swiss Yacht to the Lakshadweep islands has received a call claiming to be from Thomas Reichert, the Swiss national who owns the ship.
Customs commissioner Sumit Kumar said that he is yet to officially confirm whether the call was actually from Reichert.
“He contacted one of the officers and said that his visa has expired and hence won’t be able to return to India soon.The caller claimed that he misunderstood the port clearance he got to arrive at Kochi Port as a permission to go to the islands. However, it is hard to believe this version,” said the commissioner.
Customs sources said that the department will wait for a while before finding independent witnesses and breaking open the lock to the yacht.
“He might be getting legal help now. We will continue with the due course of investigation and send show cause notices eventually to all parties concerned,” said a customs official.
Customs commissioner Sumit Kumar said that the department is yet to get a response from the Lakshadweep administration.
“A communication has already been made. We are yet to get a response from them,” said the commissioner.
According to Customs department, the vessel SY Sea Dreams had called on places namely Bangaram, Kalpeni, Agatti, Kadamat, Amini and Kavaratti islands of Lakshadweep, which are not notified Customs ports and violated Section 29 of the Customs Act and became liable for confiscation.
The yacht initially reached the Cochin port on February 23, 2018 and anchored in Marina on February 26 and stayed till November 13, 2018. It departed to Lakshadweep islands on November 13 and returned to Marina on December 12, 2018.
TOI had on Thursday carried an exclusive report on the Customs seizing the yacht from Cochin International Marina, Bolgatty.