CBI searches at 4 places in betel nut smuggling

Nagpur: The CBI conducted searches at four places including those of proprietors and partners of importing firms, customs house agents and others in an ongoing investigation into smuggling of betel nuts.
As per the CBI, it has found incriminating documents, digital devices and other articles during searches at Mohammed Raza Abdul Gani Tawar’s two premises at Bhawsar Chowk Road and Ram Nagar, and premises of Burhan Akhtar Sawani, in-charge Nagpur unit of Shri Gulam Farooq Noorani, at Shanti Nagar and Himanshu Bhadra at Wardhaman Nagar.
CBI had registered a case on March 5, 2021, against unknown officials of Customs and Central Excise and an unidentified private person in pursuance to the orders of Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court over allegations of smuggling and illegal import of hazardous betel nut/areca nuts/rotten nut by evading customs duty, thus causing loss of crores to the government exchequer.
It was also alleged that unscrupulous traders in connivance with the public servants indulged in smuggling of substandard betel nut or areca nut on the basis of fake certificates of origin, bogus and undervalued bills, and forged clearance certificates.