Bhuj (Gujarat): The customs department has seized 53 tonnes of areca nuts, popularly known as betel nuts or supari, worth Rs 3 crore at Mundra port in Kutch. The contraband, hidden in two containers under the guise of plastic grains, was imported from Dubai.
According to officials the operation was undertaken on the instructions of the Principal Commissioner on the basis of information received by the Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB). Also, the seizure has raised questions on the functioning of the Directorate of Revenue intelligence (DRI).
During SIIB's investigation, two 40-feet high containers carrying betel nuts were seized and two other containers were also intercepted. The SIIB branch of Mundra Customs immediately seized the two containers of betel nuts that were falsely declared as PVC resin or plastic grains at the port before going to Kandla yard.
Innovative techniques are being adopted to evade officials to import betel nuts. Now, a new trend of tax evasion has surfaced wherein the containers of betel nuts were falsely declared as plastic grains, sources said.
Notably, two more containers have been intercepted and further investigation is underway. Questions have also been raised on the functioning of the DRI after the seizure as it is being alleged that the DRI has remained inactive for some time.
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