The Mumbai Unit of the Revenue Intelligence Directorate (DRI) at Nhawa Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai thwarted a major attempt to smuggle foreign cigarettes. In this action taken on the basis of accurate intelligence, the authorities seized 1,014 boxes of the “Top Gun” brand from a container, with a total of 1,01,40,000 cigarettes.

The price of this foreign cigarette market recovered by DRI has been estimated at around Rs 13.18 crore. Foreign cigarettes were declared as “coated calcium carbonate” with the intention of showing this smuggling legal imports to mislead the authorities. DRI has arrested a person responsible for this case, which the court has sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

What did the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) tell?
In this way importing foreign cigarettes was a clear violation of Customs Act 1962 and cigarettes and other tobacco products (packaging and labeling) Rules, 2008 (according to the notification of the Ministry of Health). The team of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has seized the entire container under the sections of the Customs Act.

They have dangerous effects on youth- Dri
DRI officials said that such illegal smuggling causes large -scale loss of revenue to the government, as well as spoils the right competition in the domestic tobacco industry and becomes a threat to public health.

Officials said that these foreign cigarettes usually disregard health standards such as the Pictorial Warning and content information fixed in the COTPA Act, especially the youth and economically weaker sections are at risk of irregular and potentially more harmful products.

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Dri Action on Illegal Pakistani Imports: The Revenue Intelligence Directorate (DRI), taking an important action, seized the consignment of goods being illegally brought from Pakistan under the “Operation Deep Manifest”. This goods was being brought to India through third countries, especially Dubai (UAE).

In the action so far, DRI has seized 39 containers filled with illegal goods 1,115 metric tonnes, the market price is said to be around 9 crore rupees. These goods were found against the clear violation of the import policy of the Government of India and the sanctions imposed on direct or indirect imports/transit of goods from Pakistan. The partner of an importer firm in this case has been arrested on Thursday (June 26, 2025).

All kinds of imports from Pakistan are closed after Pahalgam attack

The government had banned the import or transit of any kind of goods from Pakistan from May 2, 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attacks. Earlier, 200% custom duty was imposed on such imports. However, some importers were bringing this ban by cheating this ban, giving incorrect details of the origin of goods and manipulating the shipping documents and bringing goods to India.

In two cases caught at the Nava Sheva Port, the consignment was shown to be of the UAE origin, while the investigation made it clear that the goods were brought from Pakistan’s Karachi Port to India via Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port.

Goods sent to Dubai before Pakistan, India changed to India and left

Investigation also revealed that the goods were first sent from Pakistan to Dubai and the containers and ships were replaced to India. Financial links have also been found with Pakistani institutions on close investigation of documents, which indicate serious threats on illegal funding and security.

DRI took strict action in the case

DRI further tightened this monitoring, keeping in mind the reference and current security environment of Operation Sindoor and seized high value consignments through data analytics and intelligence.