DRI Seizes Pakistan-Origin Dry Dates Routed Through UAE to Evade India’s Import Ban

In a significant enforcement action aimed at preventing circumvention of India’s prohibition on imports from Pakistan, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 362 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates allegedly attempted to be imported into India through the United Arab Emirates.

The seizure was carried out after DRI officers acted on specific intelligence and intercepted 13 containers of dry dates imported by a Mumbai-based firm at the Container Freight Station (CFS), Ambad, Nashik. Although the import documents declared the United Arab Emirates as the country of origin, preliminary investigation reportedly revealed that the goods had originated in Pakistan and were routed through Jebel Ali in the UAE before being shipped to India.

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The case highlights the increasing scrutiny by Indian enforcement agencies of third-country routing, transshipment arrangements and misdeclaration of country of origin allegedly used to circumvent trade restrictions.

Pakistan-Origin Goods Allegedly Routed Through UAE

According to the preliminary investigation, the consignments followed a carefully structured transshipment route.

The dry dates were initially shipped from Karachi Port in Pakistan to Jebel Ali Port in the UAE in one set of containers aboard a vessel. After reaching Jebel Ali, the goods were reportedly merely transshipped and transferred into another set of containers.

The consignments were subsequently loaded onto a different vessel for onward transportation to India.

The investigation further indicated that entities operated by Pakistani nationals were involved in the transshipment arrangement. Despite the original goods having been shipped from Pakistan, the import documentation presented in India declared the UAE as the country of origin.

The alleged change in routing and documentation became a critical factor in the DRI’s investigation, as the authorities suspected that the arrangement was designed to conceal the true Pakistani origin of the goods.

13 Containers Intercepted at Nashik CFS

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officers intercepted 13 containers containing dry dates at CFS Ambad, Nashik.

The total quantity seized is stated to be over 362 metric tonnes, making the operation significant both in terms of the volume of goods involved and the alleged mechanism used for their attempted entry into India.

The seizure demonstrates the role of customs intelligence in tracing the movement of goods beyond the immediate port of loading. Rather than relying solely on the country of origin mentioned in Indian import documents, the investigation examined the entire supply-chain trail, including the original port of shipment, container movement, transshipment at Jebel Ali and subsequent loading for India.

Government Imposed Complete Prohibition on Pakistan-Origin Imports

The enforcement action assumes significance against the backdrop of India’s decision to prohibit the import and transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India imposed a complete prohibition on the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, with effect from 2 May 2025.

The prohibition was introduced through DGFT Notification No. 06/2025-26 dated 2 May 2025.

The restriction is particularly significant because it extends beyond direct shipments from Pakistan. Goods cannot be brought within the prohibited trade merely by routing them through another country if they continue to be goods originating in or exported from Pakistan.

Consequently, routing Pakistani-origin goods through a third country does not, by itself, alter their underlying origin for purposes of the prohibition.

Third-Country Transshipment Under DRI Scanner

The Nashik seizure brings into focus the distinction between genuine international transshipment and transshipment allegedly used to disguise the origin of goods.

In legitimate international trade, goods may pass through an intermediate country for commercial, logistical or shipping reasons. However, where goods originating in a prohibited country are routed through a third country and documentation is allegedly manipulated to present them as originating from that third country, the transaction may attract serious customs and trade-enforcement scrutiny.

In the present case, the preliminary investigation indicated that the dry dates had travelled from Karachi to Jebel Ali and were subsequently transferred to different containers before being loaded onto another vessel for India.

The alleged movement of the goods through Jebel Ali, coupled with the declaration of the UAE as the country of origin, formed the basis for the DRI’s suspicion that the Pakistani origin of the goods was being concealed.

Operation Deep Manifest Targets Evasion Networks

The seizure forms part of the DRI’s continuing enforcement initiative known as “Operation Deep Manifest.”

Under the operation, the agency has been focusing on identifying and intercepting goods originating in Pakistan that are allegedly being attempted to be imported into India through third-country jurisdictions.

The enforcement approach seeks to identify not merely the immediate exporting country reflected in import documentation but the deeper movement and provenance of the goods.

This involves examining factors such as:

the original port from which the goods were shipped;
vessel and container movements;
transshipment records;
changes in containers during transit;
documentation relating to country of origin;
entities involved in the supply chain; and
the ultimate route followed by the goods before their arrival in India.

Such scrutiny becomes particularly important where the goods are subject to an absolute or otherwise restrictive import prohibition based on their origin.

Country-of-Origin Declaration Under Examination

The case also underscores the importance of accurate country-of-origin declarations in customs documentation.

The 13 containers were reportedly accompanied by documents declaring the UAE as the country of origin. However, the preliminary investigation traced the goods back to Karachi Port in Pakistan.

A declaration concerning the origin of imported goods is not merely a routine commercial detail where trade restrictions are linked to geographical origin. The declared origin can determine whether the goods are legally eligible for import into India.

Accordingly, where the authorities establish that goods declared as originating from one country actually originated in another country whose goods are prohibited from import, the discrepancy can have significant customs and enforcement consequences.

Enforcement Focus Shifts From Direct Imports to Indirect Routes

The seizure also illustrates how trade restrictions can create attempts to use increasingly sophisticated supply-chain structures.

A direct shipment from Pakistan to India would be relatively straightforward to identify where the applicable prohibition is specifically based on Pakistani origin. The greater enforcement challenge arises when the same goods are first moved to another jurisdiction and subsequently shipped to India.

The DRI’s investigation in this matter indicates that enforcement agencies are increasingly examining indirect routes rather than focusing only on the immediate country from which a shipment enters India.

The alleged Karachi–Jebel Ali–India route is therefore significant because the physical movement through the UAE was reportedly accompanied by documentation representing the UAE as the country of origin.

Significance for Importers and Customs Compliance

The action carries an important compliance message for importers involved in international supply chains.

Where goods originate in a country subject to an Indian import prohibition, routing them through a third country does not necessarily make the goods permissible for import. Importers must therefore conduct appropriate due diligence regarding the actual origin and supply-chain history of the goods, particularly where the transaction involves multiple jurisdictions.

The case also highlights the need for importers, customs brokers and logistics intermediaries to maintain complete and accurate documentation relating to the movement of goods.

Any inconsistency between the declared origin and the actual origin of goods can become particularly consequential when the country of origin determines the legality of importation.

DRI Signals Zero Tolerance for Circumvention of Trade Restrictions

The seizure of over 362 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin dry dates sends a strong enforcement signal that attempts to bypass India’s trade restrictions through third-country jurisdictions will be closely scrutinised.

The DRI’s action demonstrates an investigative approach that goes beyond the face value of import declarations and seeks to reconstruct the actual movement and origin of goods through shipping and logistics records.

The agency’s continuing efforts under Operation Deep Manifest are aimed at identifying, intercepting and disrupting networks allegedly attempting to circumvent the prohibition through misdeclaration, transshipment and manipulation of documentation.

The latest seizure therefore represents not merely an action against a particular consignment of dry dates, but a broader enforcement effort to prevent prohibited Pakistan-origin goods from entering India through indirect supply-chain routes.

National Security and Supply-Chain Integrity

The Government’s prohibition on direct and indirect imports or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan was introduced in the stated interest of national security.

Against this backdrop, the DRI’s action assumes wider significance. Enforcement of the prohibition requires authorities to identify not only conventional direct imports but also sophisticated arrangements in which the country of origin may allegedly be concealed through multiple stages of international movement.

The Nashik seizure underscores the DRI’s stated resolve to identify, disrupt and dismantle networks seeking to circumvent trade prohibitions and to protect the integrity of India’s customs and international trade regime.

With more than 362 metric tonnes of goods seized in the present operation, the case is likely to remain under further investigation to determine the complete chain of entities involved, the precise nature of the documentation used, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged concealment of the goods’ Pakistani origin.

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