Mumbai: Smuggled insecticides of ₹16.8 cr intercepted, Chinese suppliers under scanner

The DRI officials said these consignments were being smuggled into the country with the active connivance of some Chinese suppliers. A probe has also revealed that a syndicate had smuggled more than 300 MTs of insecticides in the past.

Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has intercepted around 30 metric tonnes (MT) of insecticides with an estimated value of around ₹16.8 crore in the last month.

Smuggled insecticides of ₹16.8 cr intercepted, Chinese suppliers under scanner (Representational image)

The DRI officials said these consignments were being smuggled into the country with the active connivance of some Chinese suppliers. A probe has also revealed that a syndicate had smuggled more than 300 MTs of insecticides in the past.

Importing insecticides requires a permit from the Central Insecticides Board as usage of substandard insecticides can be harmful to nature as well as the health of the citizens.

However, the syndicate members were smuggling in insecticides by falsely declaring them as an industrial chemical, vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, the agency said.

“Rules have been put in place to ensure that quality standards are met before usage of insecticides. All these requirements were flouted by the smugglers,” an official said. Certain insecticides were patented products and were being brought in violation of the IPR rules, the officer added.

During the investigation, the DRI found that the syndicate was operating in connivance with the Chinese supplier, who mainly smuggled insecticides like chlorantraniliprole and abamectin benzoate. The illegal proceeds from sale of smuggled insecticides were being sent to the Chinese suppliers through hawala networks.