Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has uncovered another large-scale scheme to circumvent India’s prohibition on imports of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, arresting four persons in an operation codenamed “Operation Deep Manifest”.
DRI detected the import of 295 containers carrying 7,311 metric tonnes, or more than 73 lakh kilograms, of Pakistan-origin Industrial and Himalayan Rock Salt, with an estimated market value of around Rs 30 crore. The consignments were routed through Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, and their origin was disguised using fabricated certificates of origin and invoices issued by entities based in the United Arab Emirates.
Acting on specific intelligence, the agency ran a coordinated fortnight-long operation between September 26 and October 11, 2026, searching linked premises in Gandhidham, Adipur, Veraval, Panipat, Pune, Patiala, Delhi and Mumbai. The investigation found that nine importers had brought in the 295 containers through the Mundra and Kandla ports since March 2026, in violation of the prohibition. Five containers carrying 140 tonnes of rock salt, valued at Rs 24.41 lakh, have been seized at Kandla Port, along with Rs 20.96 lakh in sales proceeds held in the importers’ bank accounts.
Preliminary findings point to a transnational network involving entities owned by Pakistani, UAE, Sri Lankan and Indian nationals, which allegedly coordinated the shipments and the supporting paperwork to hide the Pakistani origin of the goods. Fabricated invoices from Dubai-based firms backed the transactions. Notably, the Bills of Lading for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka leg and the customs declarations filed with Sri Lanka Customs clearly named Pakistan as the country of origin and India as the final destination, while the Certificates of Origin submitted by the importers were found to be fabricated.
Four persons have been arrested under the Customs Act, 1962: two proprietors or partners of importing firms, a Customs Broker’s G-card holder, and the owner of a Dubai-based supplier who had also set up and run an importing firm in his father’s name.
The case follows a similar crackdown last month, when DRI seized more than 362,000 kg of Pakistan-origin dry dates packed in 13 containers imported by a Mumbai-based firm at a container freight station in Ambad, Nashik. Officials say the two cases show how transnational networks keep changing their methods, using third-country routing, false declarations of origin, fabricated trade documents and opaque financial arrangements.
India imposed a complete prohibition on the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, citing national security and public policy, through DGFT Notification No. 06/2025-26 dated May 2, 2025. DRI said it remains committed to identifying and dismantling such networks to safeguard India’s economic and national security interests.
