Chinese firecracker smuggling racket caught at multiple Gujarat, Maharashtra ports

In a major bust of a racket smuggling Chinese firecrackers and fireworks into the country, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized Chinese firecrackers worth ₹35 crore that were being smuggled through Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva and Gujarat’s Kandla and Mundra ports.

A person has been arrested in connection with the smuggling of around 100 metric tonnes of firecrackers, which were falsely declared as mini decorative plants and artificial flowers.

According to the DRI, the firecrackers were seized from seven containers at Nhava Sheva, Mundra Port, and Kandla SEZ. Under ‘Operation Fire Trail’, the DRI foiled this attempt to smuggle nearly 100 metric tonnes of firecrackers into the country.

These containers had been imported in the name of certain units within the Kandla Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and some import-export code (IEC) holders. To mislead the agencies, the goods were falsely declared as ‘mini decorative plants,’ ‘artificial towers,’ and ‘plastic mats.’

A unit holder from the Kandla SEZ attempted to move these consignments from the SEZ area into the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA), i.e., the non-SEZ zone. Violating SEZ rules, the mastermind behind this smuggling attempt, a partner of one SEZ unit, was arrested. He was later produced before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

As per the Foreign Trade Policy’s ITC (HS) classification, restrictions have been placed on the import of firecrackers. Importing firecrackers requires licenses from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). Since firecrackers and fireworks often contain hazardous metals like red lead, copper oxide, and lithium, they pose significant risks.

These firecrackers are highly flammable, and their handling poses risks of accidents and major hazards to public safety, port infrastructure, and the entire logistics supply chain at any stage of transportation.