Customs Foil Rs 5.7 Crore Areca Nut Smuggling Attempt at JNPT

Authorities at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust thwarted a smuggling attempt involving areca nuts worth Rs 5.7 crore. Customs intercepted ten containers mislabelled as bitumen, concealing 112.14 metric tons of areca nuts. This operation prevented the evasion of Rs 6.27 crore in import duties.

Authorities at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust have successfully thwarted a major smuggling attempt, seizing areca nuts worth Rs 5.7 crore, officials revealed on Wednesday.

The Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) of Jawaharlal Nehru Custom House intercepted ten containers carrying 112.14 metric tons of areca nuts, misdeclared as bitumen in import documents. The importer aimed to dodge Rs 6.27 crore in import duties, according to an official statement.

Acting on intelligence, officers inspected the containers and found the areca nuts hidden in drums designed for transporting bitumen, leading to their seizure.

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