The Custom House, Mumbai existed much before, 1878 when the Sea Custom Act, 1878 was enacted, which was subsequently replaced by Custom Act, 1962. Initially, the jurisdiction of Custom House, Bombay extended over the port and city limits of Bombay as well as the area in the vicinity of Airport. The anti-smuggling activities in these area were a part of functions of the Custom House including the clearance of passengers at Airport and Cargo at Air Cargo Complex.
During the later half of the sixties, there was a sudden spurt in the smuggling activities and to fight the ever increasing smuggling menace and to strengthen the Anti-smuggling machinery on the west coast, the Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) was set up in 1970 under a separate Collector of Customs (Preventive) by taking into its fold the Rummaging and Intelligence division of the Custom House and Marine and Preventive division of the Central Excise, Bombay and the Gold Control.
