DRI busts smuggling syndicate;seizes club cigarettes

Acting on an intelligence input, the DRI officials have recovered eight containers filled with smuggled items brought from a foreign nation and which were given clearances from Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Tughlakabad on the basis of forget documents, sources said.

Besides the cigarettes, the officials seized over 8,000 air conditioners of various brands and 6,000 units of R-22 gases, commonly used in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, the sources said.

The demand for R-22 gases is on rise across the country.

The officials have zeroed in on the involvement of two Delhi-based businessmen in the smuggling ring and have launched a hunt to nab them.

Sources said the sleuths have recovered at least 18,000 packets (one packet containing 20 packs of 10 cigarettes each) of 'Djarum Black' brand and over 11,000 packets (one packet containing 24 packs of 10 cigarettes each) of 'Gudang Garam' brand.

Both the seized brands of cigarettes were manufactured in Indonesia and used in clubs or in rave parties, the sources said.

The cigarettes (over 60 lakh sticks) are valued over Rs three crore in the international market.

They said the department was trying to find out others who may have assisted the two businessmen, who own shops in Delhi's Karol Bagh market, in getting the documents forged to get the consignment out of the ICD.

"It is a first of its kind case where the containers filled with illegal and undisclosed goods came out of the depot on the basis of fake documents. The investigation in the case is on," a source said.

The DRI will look into all aspects including possible involvement of depot officials and other private members who led to the lapse.

According to sources, the value of all the seized goods is at least over Rs 20 crore. "DRI had on Friday recovered the containers which are still being opened," the source said.