Latest news with #DRI
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
DRI seizes ₹6.5 crore worth of illegal Chinese toys, fake cosmetics and shoes
MUMBAI: In a major crackdown on the smuggling of substandard goods, the Mumbai unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 160 metric tonnes of illegally imported Chinese toys, counterfeit cosmetics, and footwear worth ₹6.5 crore. DRI seizes ₹ 6.5 crore worth of illegal Chinese toys, fake cosmetics and shoes Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the agency tracked and intercepted 10 suspicious containers across multiple locations — Mundra and Hazira Ports in Gujarat, Kandla Special Economic Zone, and Inland Container Depot Piyala in Faridabad, Haryana. The containers were allegedly misdeclared with generic labels such as mini decorative plants, keychains, pencil boxes, and showpieces — an attempt, officials said, to dodge scrutiny. A detailed inspection revealed the containers were primarily loaded with toys, along with significant quantities of unlicensed cosmetics and footwear. Officials said the toys were imported without the mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification, in violation of the Foreign Trade Policy and the Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. BIS certification ensures toys meet safety and quality benchmarks. Non-compliant goods are prohibited and are either destroyed at the importer's cost or re-exported to the country of origin. The seized cosmetics, according to the DRI, were not only counterfeit but also lacked approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), violating the Intellectual Property Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007. The footwear, too, was found to be BIS non-compliant and in breach of the Footwear made from Leather and other Materials (Quality Control) Order, 2024. 'Aligned with national policy regarding toy imports, the DRI has stepped up efforts to detect and seize cheap, unsafe, and substandard Chinese toys,' said a senior DRI official. 'These toys pose serious safety and health risks to children, while also harming India's burgeoning toy manufacturing sector and causing substantial loss to the national exchequer.'
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Time of India
25kg marijuana worth Rs 30cr seized from 3 flyers at city airport
Bhubaneswar: Sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday seized more than 25 kg of marijuana worth Rs 30 crore and detained three passengers who arrived from Bangkok at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now DRI officers said it was the largest ever haul of contraband in India being transported via air. The three passengers, who were in possession of around 70 packets of marijuana packed as food items to hoodwink enforcement agencies, were identified as carriers. Their identities have not been disclosed. DRI officers said the high-quality marijuana was grown using the hydroponic method. DRI and customs officers are interrogating the passengers, who, before boarding the flight in Bangkok, somehow managed to escape mechanical scanners and security personnel. "So far, we know that they are carriers and to get easy money (maybe around Rs 50,000 per consignment), they carried the contraband. Their interrogation will reveal the main trader in Bangkok and to which locations they were going to supply the contraband. The large consignment was not meant only for Odisha," said a senior DRI officer on the condition of anonymity. DRI officers said moments after the flight took off from Bangkok, they received a tip that the huge marijuana consignment was coming to BPIA. "We positioned our staff and took the help of customs as well. The scanners provided hazy images, but physical checks revealed the contraband. Each packet was unwrapped and weighed," the officer added. DRI officers also said that in the recent past, marijuana smuggling detected in airports and other places had their origin in Bangkok. "In this case, we will ascertain whether marijuana cultivation is done in Bangkok and whether the contraband is supplied across India using carriers through a network, whose tentacles spread across cities. The help of local authorities also may be taken to find out who carries out such contraband deals," an officer said. DRI officers said it is too early to comment on the possible consumers in Odisha.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
DRI Mumbai seizes 160 tonnes of substandard Chinese toys, counterfeit cosmetics worth Rs 6.5 crore
Mumbai: In a major crackdown on smuggling of substandard goods, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai zonal unit, seized 160 metric tonnes of illegally imported Chinese toys, counterfeit cosmetics, and unbranded shoes, valued at over ₹6.5 crore. Based on specific intelligence, DRI officers identified 10 containers at Mundra Port, Hazira Port, Kandla SEZ, and ICD Piyala (Faridabad). These containers, fraudulently declared as decorative items, keychains, and pencil boxes, were found concealed with large quantities of toys, cosmetics, and footwear. The toys were imported without mandatory BIS certification, violating the Foreign Trade Policy and Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020. Counterfeit cosmetics infringed Intellectual Property Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007, and lacked required CDSCO licenses. The unbranded shoes also breached the Footwear (Quality Control) Order, 2024. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Ranya Rao gold smuggling case: Fourth suspect arrested
Bengaluru: Sleuths from DRI arrested a 52-year-old jeweller from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on charges of aiding Ranya Rao in disposing of the smuggled gold in the country and carrying out hawala transactions. The accused is Bharat Jain. Hailing from Rajasthan, Bharat Jain is a close relative of Sahil Sakaria Jain, arrested this March on alleged charges of aiding Ranya Rao in selling 49 kgs of smuggled gold worth over Rs 40 crore and carrying out a hawala transaction of around Rs 38 crore. "Sakaria Jain spilled the beans, stating how Bharat played a vital role in helping Ranya. Soon after DRI arrested Sakaria, Bharat went incommunicado. However, on July 22, a DRI team spotted him in Hyderabad and issued a notice, directing him to appear before them in Bengaluru for investigation. Accordingly, Bharat appeared on July 23, and DRI arrested him. Currently, he is in the judicial custody of Bengaluru central prison," sources said.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
DRI busts ₹30 cr Customs duty evasion of luxury furniture, arrests three
MUMBAI: The Mumbai unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has detected a Customs fraud worth ₹30 crores, allegedly involving the import of luxury furniture from Europe, through misdeclaration and undervaluation. The DRI has arrested three accused persons this week for their alleged involvement in the case, according to agency officials. DRI busts ₹ 30 cr Customs duty evasion of luxury furniture, arrests three Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI teams undertook extensive searches this week across multiple locations in the state, including business premises, warehouses, offices of freight forwarders, customs brokers, and other associated entities, agency officials said. The probe revealed the operation of a well-organised network being used for alleged large-scale undervaluation and misdeclaration of branded luxury furniture across several jurisdictions using dummy importers, local intermediaries, and overseas shell entities through fabricated invoices and related documentation to undervalue branded luxury furniture, the officials said. The key accused was arrested on Monday. Officials said he owned a luxury furniture store which directly sourced the furniture from Italian and European brands for sale. However, the invoicing was done in the name of shell companies based in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. The probe also revealed the use of a Singapore-based intermediary that allegedly falsely declared the goods as non-branded furniture at undervalued rates before Indian Customs authorities for clearance in the name of dummy importers. Once cleared through Customs, the goods were transferred on paper to the key accused via a local intermediary created for the purpose. 'In reality, the goods were directly sent to the beneficial owner or the customer,' the official said. There was a gross undervaluation of between 70% and 90% of the actual transaction value, resulting in an estimated Customs duty evasion of around ₹30 crore, officials said. Apart from the key accused, the DRI also nabbed a dummy importer and an intermediary on Monday and Tuesday under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, the officials said. Two months ago, in a similar but separate case, the DRI detected undervaluation of luxury furniture imports through a bogus company. The case involved Customs duty evasion of ₹20 crore and led to the arrests of three accused persons involved in the case. 'The DRI has stepped up its efforts in exposing such commercial frauds, which not only result in significant losses to government revenue but also create market distortions and an uneven playing field for compliant importers and domestic manufacturers,' an official said.
