The Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) confiscated a major haul of contraband during multiple operations across the country. According to separate official releases, the seizures included over Rs 3.5 crore in foreign currency, nearly 13,000 e-cigarettes valued at upwards of Rs 4 crore, 6.642 kg of amphetamine, and two elephant tusks.
Targeting smuggling, drug trafficking, and illicit trade, the agency conducted coordinated raids across Kolkata, Bhopal, Assam, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Maharashtra.
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On November 6, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers at Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport intercepted seven Bangkok-bound passengers and seized foreign currency valued at Rs 3.12 crore.
The ministry reported that the passengers hid US dollars and British pounds inside notebooks, shoes, clothing, and secret compartments within their trolley bags.
The ministry said, “On enquiry, the passengers could not produce any documents to establish ownership or lawful possession of the currency.”
Authorities arrested all seven passengers for violating the Customs Act and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) regulations.
A separate interception at the airport yielded an additional ₹39 lakh in foreign currency from other travellers, raising the cumulative seizure to approximately ₹3.51 crore.
In a separate crackdown at JNPT Port, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) confiscated roughly 13,000 e-cigarettes—alongside the cover cargo—worth over Rs 4 crore in total. Although the shipment was declared as "Mop Rod," officials uncovered 6,000 Yuoto Thanos and 7,000 Yuoto Lens e-cigarettes hidden within the legitimate goods.
According to the ministry, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has confiscated roughly 3.55 lakh e-cigarettes valued at over Rs 135 crore in the 2026–27 financial year so far.
The seizures took place across airports, seaports, and inland container depots in Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
Under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, importing, selling, and distributing e-cigarettes is banned in India.
On November 5, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers seized two elephant tusks weighing roughly 3.7 kg near the Sonapur Toll Gate, located about 27 km from Guwahati, Assam.
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During the operation, five suspects on two-wheelers allegedly brandished sharp weapons at the pursuing officers before ditching the bag with the tusks and fleeing the scene. The recovered ivory has since been transferred to the Assam State Forest Department for further investigation.
Trade in elephant tusks is strictly prohibited under both India's Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and international CITES regulations. According to the ministry, the seizure underscores the DRI's ongoing commitment to cracking down on illegal wildlife trafficking, narcotics, and cross-border smuggling.
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