Amidst the serious allegations of corruption and harassment leveled against Chennai Customs officials by the cargo firm Wintrack Inc., a personal account from a Californian man has captured widespread attention online. Jacob Singh, who relocated to India and has been living in New Delhi for several years, shared his experience from 2012 via an X post that has since gone viral.
Singh detailed how, upon shipping his computer monitor as part of his personal belongings allowed with one computer, he was allegedly told by customs officials that he would have to pay 100% duty on the monitor unless he also brought the computer. Faced with this dilemma, he paid the duty, only for the monitor to arrive broken.
The incident has resonated with many, sparking discussions about customs procedures and corruption. One social media user shared a similar harrowing experience from 2003 with Mumbai customs, recounting how their bag was emptied on a table in an attempt to humiliate them after failing to extract money.
Meanwhile, Wintrack Inc. announced its decision to cease import/export operations in India from October 1, 2025, citing relentless harassment and demands for bribes from Chennai Customs officials. The company stated that their operations were crippled and their business destroyed after exposing these practices.
The Finance Ministry has reportedly ordered a probe into Wintrack’s allegations, and the matter has drawn attention from public figures like Shashi Tharoor, who expressed dismay over the situation.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustan Times has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)