DRI Seizes 362 MT Pakistan-Origin Dry Dates
‘Operation Deep Manifest’ uncovers third-country transshipment route through UAE
- DRI intercepted 13 containers at CFS Ambad, Nashik.
- The consignments were imported from Jebel Ali with UAE declared as the country of origin.
- Investigation found the dry dates had originally been shipped from Karachi, Pakistan.
- The seizure targets attempts to bypass India’s prohibition on Pakistan-origin goods.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th Sept: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 362 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates under ‘Operation Deep Manifest’, following intelligence inputs about attempts to circumvent India’s prohibition on imports from Pakistan.
DRI officers intercepted 13 containers of dry dates imported by a Mumbai-based firm at CFS Ambad in Nashik. The consignments had arrived from Jebel Ali, UAE, while the import documents declared the UAE as the country of origin.
A preliminary investigation found that the consignments were routed through a transshipment arrangement allegedly designed to conceal their Pakistan origin. The dry dates were initially shipped from Karachi Port, Pakistan, to Jebel Ali Port, UAE, in one set of containers. At Jebel Ali, they were transferred to another set of containers and loaded onto a different vessel for shipment to India.
The onward movement was allegedly carried out through entities operated by Pakistani nationals, according to the DRI investigation.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India imposed a complete prohibition on the direct or indirect import or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, effective May 2, 2025, through DGFT Notification No. 06/2025-26.
Under Operation Deep Manifest, the DRI has been identifying and intercepting Pakistan-origin goods allegedly routed through third countries to circumvent the prohibition.
The latest seizure highlights the agency’s efforts to disrupt networks using misdeclaration, transshipment and manipulation of documentation to bypass trade restrictions and safeguard supply-chain integrity.
