DRI Mumbai intercepts smuggled consignments of insecticides in India
Jan 24, 2023
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 24 : During the last month, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai intercepted several consignments of insecticides being smuggled into India with the active connivance of the Chinese suppliers of these items, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said on Tuesday.
DRI said that the smuggling activity was being carried out by a syndicate that was smuggling insecticides, namely, Chlorantraniliprole, and Abamectin Benzoate, by declaring them as 'Vinyl Acetate Ethylene Copolymer'.
"Intercepted consignments weighing 30 MTs with an estimated value of around Rs 16.8 cr have been seized under the Customs Act, 1962. The test reports have confirmed the goods to be insecticides only," DRI said.
According to the DRI, during the investigation, several pieces of evidence have been recovered which reflect that such smuggling activity has been going on for a long time.
"The investigation unravelled that the syndicate was operating in complicity with the Chinese suppliers. The Chinese suppliers were intentionally mis-declaring the insecticides as Vinyl Acetate Ethylene Copolymer in their documents to facilitate the smuggling. The illegal proceeds from the sale of smuggled insecticides were being sent to the Chinese suppliers through the hawala network," it said.
