DRI busts multi-crore imported garment smuggling racket; arrests four

A syndicate that smuggled undervalued and mis-declared readymade garments from China and Hong Kong SAR into India has been busted with the arrest of four people, the DRI said today.

The accused were part of a Kolkata-based syndicate operating through different ports in the country and involved in importing goods valued at over Rs 130 crore by under-valuing the price and evading customs duty of at least Rs 25 crore, a statement issued by the agency said.

Giving details, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) said a consignment imported by a local firm was examined.

"On examination, mis-declared items such as ladies fancy top, girls fancy night wear, fancy swim wear, ladies waist accessories etc, in commercial quantities were found against declared items like girls slips, ladies stocking, girls night dress, washing bag etc, valued at Rs 4.62 crore against the declared value of Rs 35 lakh, and subsequently seized," it said.

The firm is part of the syndicate engaged in mis-declared imports through the Kolkata and Haldia ports. Four other firms are also part of this illegal activity.

The DRI also intercepted another mis-declared consignment of ready made garments imported by the syndicate in the name of one of these firms.

The goods were found to be mis-declared in terms of description, value and quantity.

Upon examination, the value was found to be Rs 6.62 crore against the declared value of Rs 36 lakh, the DRI said.

Three other consignments of three different firms of the syndicate were also intercepted and examined, and found to be mis-declared in terms of description, value and quantity.

"Thus, a total of five live consignments pertaining to the syndicate, having total market value of about Rs 20 crore against the total declared value of Rs 1.5 crore, have been seized," it said.

The DRI said a follow-up inquiry was conducted in Mumbai at certain premises, owned by one of the accused.

The officials found Rs 77 lakh from these premises, which admittedly was the sale proceeds of such mis-declared goods, which were seized, the agency said.

Besides cash, original invoices revealing the correct and much higher values of 86 consignments imported in the past by the syndicate with respect to the five companies were also recovered.

The accused have admitted that they were involved in the fraudulent import of mis-declared goods in respect of 130 consignments, the differential value of which is more than Rs 100 crore and which involves evasion of customs duty of about Rs 25 crore, the probe agency said.

The DRI said another 132 consignments have been imported in the past by the syndicate using the same modus operandi and it has evaded huge customs duty.

"Thus, the total evasion of customs duty by the syndicate could be much higher than Rs 25 crore," it said.

Detection of this modus operandi will not only discourage cheap and fraudulent imports by unscrupulous traders, but will protect domestic readymade garment manufacturers, especially small and medium sector enterprises which form the backbone of the textile industry, the DRI said.