Betel nut scandal 2.0: ₹3 crore worth betel nuts seized at Mundra port
Updated: Dec 29th, 2024
A recent controversy involving the smuggling of betel nuts (sopari) under the guise of salt at Mundra port has resurfaced, this time disguised as plastic granules.
The Customs Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB) at Mundra port has seized 53 tonnes of betel nuts worth ₹3 crores. Acting on a tip-off, the team intercepted and inspected two containers.
Customs officials received intelligence about betel nuts being smuggled into Mundra port from Dubai under the pretext of plastic granules.
The Principal Commissioner of Customs at Mundra, K Engineer, led the investigation and seized the two containers, which were bound for a unit in the Kandla Special Economic Zone. They were declared to contain PVC resin or plastic granules. Upon inspection, 53 tons of betel nuts were discovered inside. The market value of the seized goods is estimated to be ₹3 crores.
Betel nut case
This incident has reignited discussions about the smuggling mafia, which had been previously implicated in similar scandals.
Betel nuts, sold for approximately ₹450 per kg in Indian markets, are available at significantly lower prices in countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, where their demand is minimal. Import duties on betel nuts vary monthly, making legal trade less profitable. Consequently, smuggling betel nuts into India via Dubai to avoid duties has become a lucrative racket.
Four years ago, the first betel nut smuggling case was exposed in Kutch, where several police officers were implicated. Following the suspension of four officers in connection with a ₹4 crore betel nut racket, the investigation remains incomplete.
Allegations involving a former IPS officer’s relative and political leaders have also surfaced. This recent incident has brought the forgotten scandal back into the spotlight.
Also read:
