Gujarat: DRI seizes Rs 80 crore worth E-cigarettes, mobile accessories, seized from Mundra port

Customs officials say the goods were concealed in a consignment of apparel accessories and ladies' footwear having a declared value of Rs. 1.5 crore. The consignment was seized under the provisions of the Indian Customs Act, 1962.

Kutch (Gujarat): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized electronic gadgets, e-cigarettes, branded shoes, and branded watches worth Rs 80 crore from Gujarat's Mundra port, on Monday. The goods being smuggled were mis-declared as garment accessories and women's footwear worth Rs 1.5 crore.

Source said the DRI officials at Mundra Port received information about banned goods including e-cigarettes were being imported from China concealed as garment accessories and ladies' footwear after which, six suspicious containers were identified and examined by the officials at the port.

The containers were found to have 33,138 earphones and batteries for mobile phones, 4,800 e-cigarettes, 7.11 lakh pieces of electronic goods and accessories, 29,077 branded bags, shoes and cosmetics, 53,385 branded watches, and 58,927 pieces of automobile parts.

DRI officials seized the goods under provisions of the Indian Customs Act, 1962. Officials said, "the value of the smuggled goods is estimated at Rs. 80 crores against the declared value of Rs. 1.5 crores, after which the goods were seized under the provisions of the Indian Customs Act, 1962"

It may be recalled the DRI had recently also seized toys made in China worth Rs. 64 crore and cosmetics worth Rs. 3.74 crores being similarly imported. E-cigarettes and brand cigarettes worth Rs. 134 crores were also seized in this financial year.