Mumbai: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence Foils Massive Arecanut Smuggling Operation at Jawaharlal Nehru Port
Mumbai, 10th September 2023: In a significant breakthrough, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has thwarted a major attempt at smuggling arecanuts into India. Acting on intelligence, DRI officials intercepted 14 containers, each measuring 40 feet in length, that were destined for the Inland Container Depot (ICD) Talegaon. The operation unfolded on August 31st at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Mumbai.
The containers were detained at JNPT before they could be transhipped to the specified dry port in the hinterland. The suspicion arose that the cargo concealed within these containers might be susceptible to pilferage or substitution during transit.
Initially, the Import Manifest and the Bill of Lading declared the contents of these containers as ‘Calcium Nitrate.’ However, a meticulous examination conducted by DRI officials exposed an audacious case of misdeclaration. All 14 containers were found to be carrying areca nuts, being smuggled into India under the deceptive guise of Calcium Nitrate.
The Indian government has assigned a tariff value of 10,379 USD per metric ton for arecanuts imported from abroad. Consequently, the entire consignment of 371,090 kilograms (approximately 371 metric tons) of areca nuts, valued at approximately Rs 32.31 Crores, has been confiscated.
Notably, areca nuts in split form attract a hefty Customs Duty rate of 110% based on their assessed value. In this instance, the attempted duty evasion through misdeclaration amounts to approximately Rs. 36 Crores. This seizure marks one of the largest confiscations of smuggled areca nuts in the country’s history.
The investigation into this smuggling operation is currently underway, with DRI officials working diligently to unravel the full extent of this illicit trade network. This successful operation demonstrates the relentless efforts of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence to combat smuggling and protect the economic interests of the nation.
Further updates on the case will be provided as the investigation progresses.
