Rs 139 Crore Watermelon Seeds, Peas Smuggling Racket Busted at Nhava Sheva Port

The illegal consignment was seized at Nhava Sheva Port, and the proprietor of the importing firm - a key person behind this organised smuggling - was arrested on Sunday, said a statement issued by DRI.​

Acting on specific intelligence, officers intercepted 132 containers containing approximately 3,029 metric tonnes of goods mis-declared as 'Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas'. The seized consignments are valued at around Rs 139 crore.​

Detailed examination revealed blatant misdeclaration, with recovery of 2,710 MT of watermelon seeds originating from Tanzania and Sudan, and 319 MT of green peas from Canada, instead of the declared goods 'Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas'.​

The government has imposed strict import restrictions on these commodities to safeguard domestic farmers from low-priced imports.​

Import of melon seeds has been restricted/prohibited post June 2024 (DGFT Notification No. 05/2023 dated April 5, 2024), while imports of green peas are restricted under DGFT Notification No. 37/2015-20 dated December 18, 2019, subject to a Minimum Import Price (Rs 200/kg CIF) and restricted import through Kolkata port only.​

The DRI continues to intensify intelligence-driven operations against the smuggling of restricted/prohibited goods, reaffirming its commitment to protecting the nation's economic interests, ensuring a level playing field for domestic producers, and enforcing compliance with import regulations, the statement said.​

Earlier, under its "Operation Fire Trail" DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit, thwarted a smuggling attempt involving illegal Chinese-origin firecrackers entering India.​

The operation resulted in the seizure of contraband worth an estimated Rs 4.4 crore at the Nhava Sheva Port in October.​

Following detailed intelligence gathering, DRI officers identified a suspicious 40-foot container that was declared to be carrying "glass bottles" from China.​

Further analysis of the shipment raised red flags, indicating an attempt to conceal hazardous goods within the cargo.​

The DRI team examined the container at the port, leading to the discovery of 29,340 pieces of Chinese firecrackers concealed behind a superficial layer of glass bottles.​

This deceptive concealment strategy was designed to evade detection, with the fireworks masked as a legitimate cargo. The total value of the seized goods amounts to approximately Rs 4.4 crore.​

The import of firecrackers is 'Restricted' under the ITC (HS) Classification of the Foreign Trade Policy, with specific licensing requirements from both the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) under the Explosives Rules, 2008.

- IANS