Mumbai

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Mumbai has seized 28 containers carrying 800 metric tonnes of Pakistan-origin Cosmetics and dry dates worth Rs 12 crore at Nhava Sheva Port, officials said on Sunday.

According to a release, the action was part of "Operation Deep Manifest," launched after the government imposed a complete ban on the import of Pakistani-origin goods, direct or indirect, from May 2, 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

According to officials, three Indian importers imported the said consignments in blatant violation of the prohibitions imposed by the Government on the import of Pakistani-origin goods. Pakistani Dry dates and Cosmetics were routed via Jebel Ali Port, Dubai, UAE, by misdeclaring them as originating from the UAE, and investigations revealed that these consignments actually originated from Pakistan.

In the case of Dry dates, a Dubai-based supplier who facilitated the transhipment of dry dates from Pakistan by issuing fabricated invoices has been arrested.

The entire modus operandi was orchestrated through a complex web of transactions involving Pakistani, Indian and UAE nationals, aimed at obscuring the true origin of the goods. The Dubai-based supplier, an Indian national, operated on a commission basis and used his firm to conceal the transhipment trail. The financial trail was also routed from India to Pakistan through him.

In the case of Pakistani Cosmetics, one Customs broker has been arrested for facilitating the smuggling of Cosmetics by misdeclaring the country of origin.

DRI Mumbai initiated the 'Operation Deep Manifest' in the month of July with the seizure of 39 containers carrying 1,115 metric tonnes of goods valued at approximately ₹9 crore. It arrested the importer behind the illicit importation.

Despite these stringent measures, some importers attempt to bypass government policy by misdeclaring the origin of goods and manipulating related shipping documents.

Officials said that such illicit importation of goods by unscrupulous importers and their financial linkages with entities controlled by Pakistani nationals based in Dubai and Pakistan pose a serious threat to national security.

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In the light of prevailing regional and global security threats, "Operation Deep Manifest" exemplifies DRI's steadfast commitment to upholding the Government's policy, customs and other relevant laws; safeguarding the national and economic security of the country; and preventing the misuse of trade channels for the import of Pakistani-origin goods. Through strategic intelligence, targeted enforcement, and inter-agency coordination, DRI continues to play a pivotal role in securing India's economic frontiers, the release added.