The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has conducted a significant operation to combat the illegal import of banned nicotine products. The DRI revealed that it has dismantled a large-scale e-cigarette smuggling network in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, and West Bengal. Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI intercepted multiple suspicious import shipments that were falsely declared to avoid customs inspection.
During detailed examinations, authorities seized around 300,000 electronic cigarettes of various brands and flavors, amounting to over Rs 120 crore. These prohibited e-cigarettes were discovered to be originating from China and were smuggled under the guise of items like “Furniture” and “Metal Chair Parts.” Electronic cigarettes and all Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are prohibited in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, enacted to safeguard public health.
In a separate incident last month, the DRI uncovered a well-organized gold smuggling ring operating through the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. Following specific intelligence inputs, officials seized three kilograms of foreign-origin gold valued at approximately Rs 4.8 crore and apprehended one suspect. Investigations have unveiled a sophisticated modus operandi involving the conversion of gold dust into wax and concealment in egg-shaped capsules.
The smuggled gold was reportedly ingested by transit passengers and later retrieved by an airport cleaning staff member for clandestine delivery outside the premises. The implicated employee has been arrested for aiding in the illegal removal and transfer of the smuggled gold.
