T&T businessman can sue Customs in sex toys impasse
(Trinidad Guardian) Businessman and sex therapist Giriraj “Raj” Ramnanan has been given the green light to pursue a lawsuit against the Comptroller of the Customs and Excise Division over the seizure of three shipments of sex toys and other paraphernalia.
Delivering an oral ruling at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain yesterday, High Court Judge Ricky Rahim granted Ramnanan leave to pursue his judicial review lawsuit against the division.
In the lawsuit, Ramnanan, the owner of Total Image Limited, is claiming the division is acting illegally in its delay in bringing proceedings against his company to forfeit the allegedly prohibited items. His lawyers, Jagdeo Singh, Dinesh Rambally, Kiel Taklalsingh and Karina Singh, contend the Customs Act requires the division to bring such proceedings within a reasonable time after a seizure.
Before granting leave, Rahim asked the division’s lawyer, Harricharan Kassie, about the alleged delay. Kassie could not immediately justify it before Rahim.
Rahim gave Ramnanan’s lawyers until October 9 to file the claim and adjourned the case to November 1.
According to an affidavit from Ramnanan attached to the judicial review application, he purchased and shipped the packages to Trinidad between August and November, last year. The packages, together valued at US$1,045.27, contained condoms, penis pumps, whips, vibrators and dildos. The packages were seized by the division’s enforcement unit for containing prohibited items.