In a major crackdown, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized restricted goods worth ₹9.25 crore in Maharashtra’s Mumbai. The operation led to the recovery of 11,060 illegal walkie-talkies and 52,480 second-hand Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). Two owners of firms located in Lamington Road have been arrested in connection with the case.
According to DRI officials, the seized walkie-talkies are of the ‘Baofeng BF-888S’ brand, which has been banned and blacklisted by the government. The estimated value of these devices is around ₹2.5 crore. These were illegally imported from China and operate on frequencies beyond the permitted limits, posing a potential threat to national security. As per Department of Telecommunications norms, the use of such devices requires a special license.
In addition, more than 52,000 second-hand HDDs, valued at approximately ₹7 crore, were also confiscated. These fall under the category of e-waste and their import is prohibited without special permission.
DRI investigations revealed that an organised syndicate, involving a father-son duo, was engaged in smuggling these goods from China through eight containers. The consignments were misdeclared as ‘miscellaneous electronic goods’ to evade detection. The total value of the seized consignment is estimated at around ₹30 crore, including ₹21 crore worth of cover cargo.
Officials further stated that the seized walkie-talkies operate in the 400–480 MHz frequency range, violating Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) norms. License-free usage is restricted to the 446.0–446.2 MHz range. The WPC wing of the Department of Telecommunications has already declared the ‘Baofeng 888S’ model illegal. Authorities also confirmed that the import of second-hand HDDs is restricted without special approval from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Further investigation in the case is underway.