In a major crackdown under Operation Deep Manifest, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, has seized 28 containers carrying 800 metric tonnes of Pakistani-origin cosmetics and dry dates valued at ₹12 crore. Two persons, including a Dubai-based supplier and a customs broker, have been arrested in connection with the case.
The seizure comes months after the government imposed a complete ban on direct and indirect imports of Pakistani-origin goods to India following the Pahalgam terror attacks on May 2, 2025.
According to DRI officials, the consignments were imported by three Indian traders who attempted to bypass the ban by routing the goods through Jebel Ali Port in Dubai and misdeclaring them as UAE-origin products. Investigations later confirmed that the goods had originated from Pakistan.
In the case of dry dates, a Dubai-based Indian supplier was found to have facilitated transhipment from Pakistan by issuing fabricated invoices. He was operating on a commission basis, using multiple firms to disguise the trade and financial trail, which linked transactions from India to Pakistan. In the cosmetics consignment, a customs broker was arrested for helping misdeclare the country of origin.
The DRI noted that the illicit operation was carried out through a complex network involving nationals from Pakistan, India, and the UAE, with financial linkages pointing back to Pakistan.
This is the second major seizure under Operation Deep Manifest. Earlier in July, DRI had intercepted 39 containers with 1,115 metric tonnes of goods worth about ₹9 crore, arresting an importer behind the smuggling attempt.
Officials said such unlawful imports not only violate government policy but also pose a serious threat to national security due to possible financial linkages with entities in Pakistan.
“Operation Deep Manifest reflects DRI’s commitment to protecting India’s economic and national security, preventing misuse of trade channels, and ensuring strict enforcement of customs and trade laws,” a senior official said.