Smuggled goods worth ₹15 cr. seized

The Mumbai Customs on Tuesday seized smuggled goods worth ₹15 crore. A highly placed source confirmed that the seizure was made following an operation that began on February 17.

The official said, “Usually such items are found in cargo, but it is uncommon to find a parcel of this worth and so many items from Dubai. It was sent from the UAE postal service – Emirates.”

From February 17 to 18, twelve consignments from Chakala MIDC Post Office were seized, and from February 19 to 23, twenty-six consignments from Foreign Post Office, Ballard Estate, and five consignments from Air Parcel Sorting Office, Vile Parle, were seized. They included 1,470 iPhones, 322 Apple watches, 64 drones, 41 air pods, 391 cigarette sleeves and 36 auto parts

“The Rummaging and Intelligence Division of the Preventive Commissionerate, New Customs House, Ballard Estate, Mumbai, conducted a coordinated anti-smuggling operation. These goods were attempted to be cleared through the postal mode by mis-declaring the description of the goods, value and quantity, thus evading the applicable customs and IGST tax. During investigation, the names and addresses of the consignees (recipients) of the said consignments were found to be fake/dummy,” a press release said.