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The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 364 metric tonnes (MT) of Pakistan-origin dry dates worth around Rs 3 crore after uncovering an alleged attempt to import the consignment into India by misdeclaring its country of origin as the UAE, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.
According to the Finance Ministry, the seizure followed an intelligence-led operation in which DRI officers intercepted 13 containers carrying the dry dates at Kandla Port. Investigations found that although the goods were declared as originating from the UAE, they were actually of Pakistan origin. The ministry said enquiries established that the consignment was first transported from Pakistan to Dubai, where it was shifted to another set of containers before being exported to India. The importers allegedly suppressed material facts and misdeclared the country of origin to bypass India's prohibition on imports of goods originating from Pakistan. "The enquiries established that the goods were first transported from Pakistan to Dubai and subsequently shifted to another set of containers before being exported to India," the ministry said. The entire consignment has been seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The ministry also referred to another recent enforcement action by the DRI at Tuticorin Port, where officers last week detected an attempt to import around 14 MT of Pakistan-origin Guggul resin valued at about Rs 1.4 crore through alleged misdeclaration of both the product description and country of origin. According to the ministry, the consignment had been falsely declared as natural resin originating from Somalia and routed through Dubai. Investigations later established that it was Pakistan-origin Guggul resin transported using forged documentation. Two persons allegedly involved in the conspiracy were arrested. The ministry noted that under the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, as amended through a DGFT notification dated May 2, 2025, the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan has been prohibited with effect from May 2, 2025. Both consignments were found to be in violation of these provisions. The ministry said the successful operations underscore the DRI's continued efforts to identify, disrupt and dismantle organised networks involved in smuggling, customs fraud and other forms of illicit transnational trade. (ANI)
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