Wintrack Inc., a Tamil Nadu-based company specializing in facilitating effortless e-commerce shopping from China and Thailand to India, has declared a halt to all its import-export operations in the country, effective October 1, 2025. The company’s decision stems from what it describes as ‘repeated and unjustified harassment’ by officials at Chennai Customs over the past 45 days.
In a public statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Wintrack labeled its move as a ‘difficult decision,’ asserting that previous efforts to expose instances of alleged bribery this year led to ‘retaliatory actions’ that crippled its business. The company claims that the persistent pressure has made continued operations impossible.
Prawin Ganeshan, Wintrack’s founder, further detailed the alleged issues on X. He recounted an incident where Chennai Customs questioned the declaration of charging cables for a massager shipment, arguing that such cables are an integral part of new products and not sold separately. Ganeshan also highlighted that requests for EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and LMPC (Legal Metrology Packaged Commodities) compliances were made manually for the first time, resulting in significant delays and demurrage charges. He concluded by alleging that ‘the law has loopholes, and officers exploit them at their discretion.’
Customs Issues Strong Rebuttal
In response, Chennai Customs firmly rejected all allegations of harassment and non-cooperation made by Wintrack and its founder. The department stated unequivocally that ‘at no stage was any payment or bribe demanded.’ They clarified that all inquiries were strictly related to mandatory statutory compliance under regulations such as the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, BIS Act 2016, Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011, and the Customs Act 1962.
Chennai Customs further asserted that the importer’s social media posts exhibit a ‘calculated pattern’ of leveling corruption allegations when confronted with legitimate scrutiny, often followed by the deletion of such posts when evidence of violations is presented. They described this as a ‘selective narrative’ designed to pressure officials into releasing cargo without proper due process. The department reiterated that every action taken was legally mandated, procedurally sound, and based on documented violations identified during examinations.
Emphasizing its commitment to integrity, Chennai Customs declared that it would not be swayed by false accusations from fulfilling its statutory duties. The department affirmed its dedication to ‘lawful, transparent, and professional conduct’ in enforcing regulations aimed at safeguarding public health, consumer safety, and environmental standards.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) also weighed in on the matter via a post on X, confirming that the dispute primarily concerns alleged misdeclaration and misclassification by the importer. While acknowledging Chennai Customs’ initial response, CBIC stated that it has noted additional names and screenshots shared by the importer on Twitter. The board assured that all facts would be thoroughly examined, and appropriate action, as warranted by law, would be taken.