Authorities intercepted 13 containers at Kandla Port after uncovering an alleged attempt to route banned Pakistan-origin goods through the UAE.
The seizure comes days after DRI foiled another similar smuggling attempt involving Pakistan-origin Guggul resin.
Highlights
- DRI seized 364 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates worth around ₹3 crore.
- The consignment arrived at Kandla Port in 13 containers.
- Importers allegedly declared the goods as UAE-origin to bypass India’s import ban.
- Investigation found the cargo was first shipped from Pakistan to Dubai, then reloaded before being sent to India.
- Last week, DRI also seized 14 MT of Pakistan-origin Guggul resin worth ₹1.4 crore at Tuticorin Port.
- India has prohibited direct and indirect imports of all Pakistan-origin goods since May 2, 2025.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 364 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates valued at around ₹3 crore after uncovering an alleged attempt to illegally import the banned goods into India through the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to the Ministry of Finance, DRI officers intercepted 13 containers carrying the dry dates at Kandla Port during an intelligence-based operation. The imported cargo had been declared as originating from the UAE, but investigators found that the products were actually sourced from Pakistan.
The investigation revealed that the dry dates were first transported from Pakistan to Dubai, where they were transferred into different containers before being exported to India. Officials alleged that the importers deliberately misdeclared the country of origin and concealed key facts to bypass India’s prohibition on imports originating from Pakistan.
Based on these findings, the entire consignment was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
The latest action follows another major DRI operation carried out last week at Tuticorin Port, where officers intercepted around 14 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin Guggul resin worth approximately ₹1.4 crore. That consignment had allegedly been falsely declared as natural resin from Somalia and routed through Dubai using forged documents. Two people were arrested in connection with that case.
The government has prohibited the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating from or exported by Pakistan under the amended Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, effective May 2, 2025, through DGFT Notification No. 06/2025-26.
Officials said both cases violated these trade restrictions and reflected organized attempts to evade India’s import regulations through third-country routing and false documentation.
The Finance Ministry said these successful operations demonstrate the DRI’s continued efforts to detect and dismantle smuggling networks, customs fraud, and other forms of illicit cross-border trade. Authorities are continuing investigations to identify all individuals and entities involved in the alleged conspiracy.
