In a major enforcement action, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has uncovered a large-scale illegal import operation at Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai, seizing prohibited goods worth ₹9.25 crore concealed within a much larger consignment valued at over ₹30 crore.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, DRI officials intercepted eight containers arriving from China and discovered a significant quantity of restricted items hidden among assorted electronic goods. The seizure included 11,060 units of Baofeng BF-888S walkie-talkies valued at approximately ₹2.5 crore, along with second-hand hard disk drives (HDDs), classified as e-waste, worth ₹6.75 crore.
According to officials, the entire shipment had been deliberately misdeclared in import documents to evade regulatory scrutiny. The restricted items were cleverly concealed within miscellaneous electronic products, which were declared at around ₹21 crore, bringing the total consignment value to ₹30.25 crore.
The walkie-talkies in question have been blacklisted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) due to their capability to operate beyond authorised frequency bands. Authorities have flagged these devices as a potential national security risk, as they can facilitate unauthorised communication networks. Import and use of such equipment require specific licences under Indian telecom regulations.
Further, the import of second-hand HDDs falls under the category of restricted goods and requires prior approval from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). These devices are treated as e-waste and are subject to strict environmental and trade compliance norms, which the importers had allegedly bypassed.
Following the seizure, a father-son duo, identified as the proprietors of two Mumbai-based firms involved in the import, were arrested under provisions of the Customs Act. Officials stated that investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the network and whether additional entities were involved in facilitating the illegal imports.
The case highlights growing concerns around misuse of import channels for bringing in restricted and potentially hazardous goods, with authorities tightening surveillance at major ports to curb such activities.
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