DRI Seizes Undeclared Goods Worth ₹27 Lakh at Bhubaneswar Airport

Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown on smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bhubaneswar Regional Unit, on Tuesday intercepted three Indian passengers arriving from Abu Dhabi at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) and seized undeclared goods worth around ₹27 lakh.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officials examined the checked-in baggage of the passengers and recovered a large cache of smuggled items, including 38,400 cigarettes, 4,000 cigars, and 1,228 e-cigarette cartridges. Additionally, six DJI MIC Mini wireless microphones and ten refurbished Dell Latitude laptops were found concealed within the luggage.

During questioning, the passengers failed to produce valid import documents for the goods. Officials suspect that the items were smuggled into India to evade customs duty and were intended for illegal sale in the local market.

The seized items have been handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Bhubaneswar Customs for further investigation under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

A detailed probe is underway to identify the masterminds and trace the smuggling network behind the consignment.

Notably, this is the second major seizure at Bhubaneswar Airport this month. On October 4, DRI officials had confiscated hydroponic weed worth ₹3 crore and detained a youth, underscoring the rising trend of high-value smuggling attempts through the airport.