Law enforcement authorities have seized more than 362 metric tonne of Pakistan-origin dry dates and thwarted attempts to circumvent India's prohibition on imports from the neighbouring country, the finance ministry said on Monday, 14 September.
Acting on specific intelligence, the officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted 13 containers of dry dates imported by a Mumbai-based firm at Container Freight Station (CFS) Ambad, Nashik, a press statement form the ministry said.
Dry dates, known as ‘chhuhara’ or ‘kharek’ in Hindi, are the dehydrated, firm version of the date fruit.
The consignments arrived from Jebel Ali, UAE, with import documents declaring the UAE as the country of origin, the ministry said.
Pakistan origin of the goods
Preliminary investigation revealed a trans-shipment arrangement designed to conceal the Pakistan origin of the goods. The dry dates were initially shipped from Karachi Port, Pakistan, to Jebel Ali Port, UAE, in one set of containers aboard one vessel, the statement said.
At Jebel Ali Port, the goods were merely trans-shipped and transferred to another set of containers and loaded onto a different vessel for onward shipment to India through entities operated by Pakistani nationals.
Pahalgam terror attack
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has imposed a complete prohibition on the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, with effect from May 2, 2025.
The operation exemplifies our unwavering commitment to enforce trade laws and maintain national security.
In response, DRI, under 'Operation Deep Manifest', has been consistently identifying, intercepting and seizing Pakistan-origin goods attempted to be imported into India through third-country routing, the finance ministry said in its statement.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is India's premier intelligence and enforcement agency that fights smuggling and commercial frauds.
It works under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in the Ministry of Finance.
