Mohun Bagan footballer Jose Barreto was arrested at the NSC Bose international airport on Thursday under the Customs Act after he was found carrying dollars in excess of the permissible amount under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

He was later granted bail.

Airport customs officials said Baretto neither submitted any paper to the customs authorities nor declared that he was carrying an excess amount (about 20,500 US dollars).

“He may be fined on the excess amount which can also be confiscated,” they said.

Even though customs sources declined to divulge details, the police said Barreto was asked to surrender his passport and directed to appear before the court once in a week and also respond to customs’ directives.
Barreto was later produced before a North 24-parganas district court at Barasat which granted him bail after he furnished a surety of Rs 10,000.

Mohun Bagan club general secretary Anjan Mitra said the club was behind Barreto, who, he said, was not aware of the customs rules.

“His wife and two daughters had left for Brazil earlier and he got the latest salary cheque only yesterday which he was carrying with him,” they said.

The maximum amount allowed under FEMA varies from time to time and even many Indians do not know the rules and Barreto is a foreigner,” Mitra said.

Shaken by the developments, the ace footballer told club officials that it was a ‘black day’ for him and lamented he would not be able to meet his family for now.

The 31-year-old striker is rated as one of the best foreigners-ever to have played in India.