DRI intercepts 362+ tonnes of Pakistan-origin dates in Nashik, exposing UAE transshipment scheme
India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized over 362 metric tonnes of dry dates from Pakistan at a Nashik freight station, uncovering a scheme that hid their origin through UAE transshipment.
On September 14, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence announced the seizure of more than 362 metric tonnes of dry dates originating from Pakistan at the Ambad container freight station in Nashik. The cargo, imported by a Mumbai-based company, was declared as UAE-origin, but investigators uncovered a trans-shipment chain that moved the dates from Karachi to Jebel Ali, where they were repackaged and sent to India through entities linked to Pakistani nationals.
Thirteen containers were intercepted, thwarting an effort to bypass the comprehensive import prohibition that India imposed on all Pakistani goods after the Pahalgam terror attack, effective from May 2, 2025. The operation, part of “Operation Deep Manifest,” highlights ongoing enforcement of the ban and DRI’s focus on detecting third-country routing. Officials said the seizure demonstrates the ministry’s commitment to preventing illicit trade that could undermine national security and trade policy.
Why it matters
The seizure underscores India's strict enforcement of its ban on Pakistani imports and the complex smuggling routes used to evade it.
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