The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence uncovered a suspected cigarette smuggling racket at Mundra Port after intercepting 18 suspicious containers shipped from Gulf countries. Imported cigarettes worth crores of rupees have been seized from three containers so far.

Inspection of the remaining containers is under way. The DRI expects the seizures to grow as more containers are opened and checked.

Two people detained

Two people, one from Ahmedabad and one from Delhi, were detained for questioning. The DRI is questioning them about their role in the suspected racket.

The detentions are the first step in the investigation. The DRI will use the questioning to trace who was behind the shipments and how the racket was run.

How the racket allegedly worked

Importers allegedly misdeclared goods in Customs documents and concealed foreign cigarettes among declared cargo. The cigarettes were hidden inside containers that were declared as carrying other goods.

The consignments were destined for Tughlakabad in Delhi. The plan, according to the DRI, was to move the cigarettes from Mundra Port to Delhi after clearing Customs on false declarations.

The scale of the seizure

So far, cigarettes worth crores of rupees have been seized from three of the 18 containers. The DRI is still inspecting the rest, and the total value of the seizure is likely to rise.

The 18 containers were all shipped from Gulf countries. The DRI intercepted them at Mundra Port after identifying them as suspicious.

Why Mundra Port matters

Mundra Port is one of the busiest ports in the country, handling large volumes of container traffic. The scale of the port makes it a target for smuggling rackets that try to hide contraband among legitimate cargo.

The DRI's interception shows that the agency is watching container traffic closely. The misdeclaration of goods is a common method used by smugglers to get past Customs checks.

What happens next

The DRI will finish inspecting the remaining containers and complete the questioning of the two detained people. The investigation will then look at the importers and the network behind the shipments.

If the racket is confirmed, the case will move to prosecution for Customs violations and smuggling. The seizures so far already run into crores of rupees, and the final figure will depend on what is found in the remaining containers.