DRI Mumbai seizes smuggled watermelon seeds & green peas worth Rs 139 crore; importer arrested

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 20 : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, has unearthed a major smuggling racket involving 'Watermelon Seeds' and 'Green Peas' at Nhava Sheva Port, a release said on Monday.
Acting on specific intelligence, officers intercepted 132 containers containing approximately 3,029 metric tonnes of goods misdeclared as 'Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas'. The seized consignments are valued at around Rs 139 crore, it added.
It said that detailed examination revealed blatant misdeclaration, with recovery of 2,710 MT of watermelon seeds originating from Tanzania and Sudan, and 319 MT of green peas from Canada, instead of declared goods i.e. 'Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas'.
It noted that the Government has imposed strict import restrictions on these commodities to safeguard domestic farmers from low-priced imports.
"Import of melon seeds has been restricted/prohibited post June 2024 (DGFT Notification No. 05/2023 dated 05.04.2024), while imports of green peas are restricted under DGFT Notification No. 37/2015-20 dated 18.12.2019, subject to a Minimum Import Price (₹200/kg CIF) and restricted import through Kolkata port only," it added.
The proprietor of the importing firm - a key person behind this organized smuggling has been arrested on April 19, it added.
DRI continues to intensify intelligence-driven operations against the smuggling of restricted/prohibited goods, reaffirming its commitment to protecting the economic interests of the nation, ensuring a level playing field for domestic producers, and enforcing compliance with import regulations, it added.