Customs intercepts China-bound shipments of raw material for masks

Customs officials on Wednesday intercepted China-bound consignments of raw material for masks, misdeclared as packing materials for pouches, in large quantities, a senior official said. It has also seized multiple shipments containing 5.08 lakh masks, 57 litres of sanitiser and 952 PPE kits bound for the US, the UK, and the UAE, the official said.

The export of such goods is prohibited by the government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. "On the basis of specific intelligence, 2,480 kg of raw material for masks was intercepted by air cargo export, Delhi Customs. The goods were misdeclared as packing materials for pouches and were being illegally attempted to be smuggled/ exported to China," he said. These goods are prohibited for export as per the latest guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), he said, adding that investigation into the case is under progress. In another catch, the air cargo officers intercepted multiple shipments containing 5.08 lakh masks, 57 litres of sanitiser in 950 bottles, and 952 PPE kits at the courier terminal in New Delhi. These were attempted to be smuggled or exported out of the country, the official said. "These goods are also prohibited for export," he added. These items were being illegally exported to the United States, United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. "No arrests have been made so far," the official said.