In a significant move, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) successfully exposed a major cigarette smuggling racket at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva Port. The authorities seized a container filled with foreign brand cigarettes, valued at Rs 10 crores, falsely declared as Chinese Viscose woven carpets and smuggled from the UAE.
This marks one of the largest interceptions of imported cigarettes this year. The DRI, in a similar operation last December, confiscated Indian brand copied cigarettes worth Rs 14.67 crores. Additionally, in October, the DRI seized banned foreign brand cigarettes, mis-declared as fresh fruits and mushrooms with Thai Lotus, valued at Rs 11 crores.
In this recent case, the DRI acted on specific intelligence about cigarettes being concealed in a shipment labeled as Chinese Viscose woven carpets. Last week, the officials intercepted two containers shipped from the Jebel Ali port in the UAE. Upon arrival at Nhava Sheva Port, a detailed examination uncovered the hidden foreign brand cigarettes, including “Essential Change” (Made in Korea).
Further investigation revealed that the second container held 325 rolls of old and used carpets, strategically used to cover the cigarette boxes, deceiving customs officials. A total of 67 lakhs sticks of cigarettes were discovered in the containers, and the DRI is now actively searching for the importer responsible for this illicit operation.