- DRI seizes 364 MT of Pakistan-origin dry dates worth ₹3 crore.
- Consignment imported via UAE allegedly carried false country-of-origin declaration.
- Investigation found goods were routed through Dubai before reaching India.
- Seizure follows last week’s crackdown on Pakistan-origin Guggul resin imports.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th Aug: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 364 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates worth around ₹3 crore after uncovering an alleged attempt to bypass India’s ban on imports originating from Pakistan through misdeclaration of the country of origin.
According to the Ministry of Finance, DRI officers intercepted 13 containers carrying the consignment at Kandla Port during an intelligence-led operation.
Investigations revealed that the dry dates, declared as originating from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), were actually sourced from Pakistan. Officials found that the goods were first transported from Pakistan to Dubai, where they were shifted into different containers before being exported to India.
The DRI alleged that the importers suppressed material facts and falsely declared the country of origin to evade the prohibition on imports of Pakistan-origin goods. The entire consignment has been seized under the Customs Act, 1962.
The action comes days after the DRI intercepted around 14 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin Guggul resin worth approximately ₹1.4 crore at Tuticorin Port. The consignment had allegedly been misdeclared as natural resin from Somalia and routed through Dubai using forged documents. Two persons were arrested in that case.
Under the amended Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, notified on May 2, 2025, the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan is prohibited.
The DRI said the latest seizures underscore its continued efforts to dismantle organised networks involved in customs fraud, smuggling and illicit cross-border trade.
