The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), under the Ministry of Finance, has dismantled a large smuggling operation that illegally imported over 73 lakh kg of rock salt from Pakistan into India. The operation, called “Operation Deep Manifest”, ran from 26 September to 11 October 2026 and involved coordinated raids across eight cities. The goods were routed through Sri Lanka with forged certificates of origin and fake invoices from UAE-based firms to hide their Pakistani source.
Key facts
- 295 containers of Pakistan-origin Industrial and Himalayan rock salt detected, totalling 7,311 metric tonnes
- Estimated market value: Rs 30 crore
- Five containers with 140 MT seized at Kandla Port, valued at Rs 24.41 lakh
- Sales proceeds of Rs 20.96 lakh seized from importers’ bank accounts
- Shipments routed through Colombo Port, Sri Lanka, since March 2026
- Nine importers involved, using Mundra and Kandla ports for entry
- Four persons arrested: two importing firm proprietors, one customs broker and one Dubai-based supplier
- Raids conducted in Gandhidham, Adipur, Veraval, Panipat, Pune, Patiala, Delhi and Mumbai
- Import prohibition on Pakistani goods in effect since 2 May 2025
How the smuggling network operated
The criminal network used a sophisticated method to bypass India’s ban on Pakistani goods. Pakistani rock salt was first shipped to Sri Lanka, where Bills of Lading and customs declarations correctly identified Pakistan as the origin. However, once the goods reached the next stage, importers submitted fabricated Certificates of Origin claiming the salt came from UAE suppliers instead. These fake documents were backed by invoices issued by Dubai-based firms. This multi-country routing and document forgery allowed the salt to enter India through Mundra and Kandla ports without triggering customs alerts about its actual Pakistani source.
The network included persons from Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and India working in coordination. The Dubai-based supplier who owned the firm handling exports was also found to have established an Indian importing company in his father’s name to receive the contraband shipments.
Import ban and national security context
India has maintained a complete prohibition on direct or indirect import or transit of all goods from Pakistan since 2 May 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. This ban applies regardless of the route taken or intermediate countries involved. The DRI’s action demonstrates the lengths smugglers go to circumvent these restrictions and the revenue intelligence agency’s role in protecting India’s economic and national security interests.
Previous cases highlight pattern
This bust is not an isolated incident. In a similar operation last month, the DRI seized over 362,000 kg of Pakistan-origin dry dates packed in 13 containers that a Mumbai-based firm had imported through CFS Ambad in Nashik. These repeated cases show that transnational smuggling networks are actively developing new methods to evade the import ban using third-country routing, false origin declarations and fraudulent trade documents.
What this means for you
For Indian importers, customs brokers and businesses, these seizures signal strict enforcement of the Pakistan import prohibition. Any attempt to import Pakistani goods through indirect routes, even with authentic-looking third-country documentation, will face DRI investigation and criminal prosecution under the Customs Act. Companies must verify the true origin of goods before importing them. For citizens, such crackdowns protect domestic industries and prevent revenue losses through illegal smuggling, though they may also affect prices of certain commodities like salt that are now unavailable from a key historical supplier.
Legal action underway
Four persons have been arrested and prosecuted under the Customs Act, 1962. The seized goods and financial assets remain with the authorities. The DRI has signalled continued focus on dismantling transnational smuggling networks and identifying new evasion methods before they scale up.