DRI busts smuggling syndicate;seizes club cigarettes

        New Delhi, June 11, 2012 : An international syndicate
involved in smuggling has been unearthed by DRI and cigarettes
commonly used in rave parties and worth more than Rs three
crore have been seized.
Acting on an intelligence input, the DRI officials have
recovered eight containers filled with smuggled items brought
from a foreign nation and which were given clearances from
Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Tughlakabad on the basis of
forget documents, sources said.
Besides the cigarettes, the officials seized over 8,000
air conditioners of various brands and 6,000 units of
R-22 gases, commonly used in heating, ventilation and air
conditioning systems, the sources said.
The demand for R-22 gases is on rise across the country.
     The officials have zeroed in on the involvement of two
Delhi-based businessmen in the smuggling ring and have
launched a hunt to nab them.
     Sources said the sleuths have recovered at least 18,000
packets (one packet containing 20 packs of 10 cigarettes each)
of 'Djarum Black' brand and over 11,000 packets (one packet
containing 24 packs of 10 cigarettes each) of 'Gudang Garam'
brand.
     Both the seized brands of cigarettes were manufactured in
Indonesia and used in clubs or in rave parties, the sources
said.
     The cigarettes (over 60 lakh sticks) are valued over Rs
three crore in the international market.
     They said the department was trying to find out others
who may have assisted the two businessmen, who own shops in
Delhi's Karol Bagh market, in getting the documents forged to
get the consignment out of the ICD.
"It is a first of its kind case where the containers
filled with illegal and undisclosed goods came out of the
depot on the basis of fake documents. The investigation in the
case is on," a source said.
  The DRI will look into all aspects including possible
involvement of depot officials and other private members who
led to the lapse.
  According to sources, the value of all the seized goods
is at least over Rs 20 crore. "DRI had on Friday recovered the
containers which are still being opened," the source said.