DRI seizes 362 tonnes of Pakistan-origin dates routed through UAE
The DRI has seized over 362 tonnes of dry dates that originated in Pakistan and were allegedly transshipped through the UAE to evade India's import ban.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 362 tonnes of dry dates that originated in Pakistan, uncovering an alleged attempt to bypass India's import prohibition by routing the consignment through the United Arab Emirates.
The seizure involved 13 containers imported by a Mumbai-based firm and was carried out at a container freight station in Ambad, Nashik, following specific intelligence inputs, the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday. The goods had arrived from Jebel Ali in the UAE, and the import documents declared the UAE as the country of origin.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the consignments began their journey at Karachi port in Pakistan and were transshipped at Jebel Ali before being loaded onto another vessel for the onward journey to India in different containers. The movement was facilitated through entities operated by Pakistani nationals, according to the ministry.
The case forms part of the DRI's ongoing 'Operation Deep Manifest', which was launched to detect attempts to evade India's prohibition on the import or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan through third countries.
India imposed a complete ban on the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with effect from 2 May 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack. The prohibition was notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
The latest seizure points to growing scrutiny of third-country routes that can be used to disguise the origin of goods entering India. The DRI said such arrangements are being investigated for possible misdeclaration and manipulation of import documentation aimed at concealing the actual origin of goods. The action also comes amid heightened focus on supply-chain integrity and the enforcement of trade restrictions imposed on Pakistan.
"The seizure underscores DRI's sustained resolve to identify, disrupt and dismantle sophisticated networks seeking to circumvent trade prohibitions through misdeclaration, transshipment and manipulation of documentation," the finance ministry said.
The development is significant for importers who rely on major transshipment hubs such as Jebel Ali, a key gateway for Indian trade. While transshipment is a legitimate feature of international commerce, authorities are increasingly examining whether changes in containers, vessels or documentation are being used to obscure the actual country of origin.