Customs department busts areca nuts smuggling racket at Visakhapatnam Port

On Monday, 20 March 2023, the customs department confiscated two large containers loaded with areca nuts, and arrested a 53-year-old man for illegally smuggling into the country via the Visakhapatnam Port.

According to the officials, in an attempt to evade the high customs duty charges, the illegal shipment of 56 MTs of areca nuts was disguised to be dried dates from the UAE. However, upon further examination, the customs department learnt that only three bags in the front row contained dried dates. The remainder of the gunny bags at the back was filled with unauthorised areca nuts.

The investigation established that out of the total amount of 56MTs seized from the fraud, only 11.5 MTs were found to be the supposed dried dates. The rest stored a whopping total of 46 MTs of areca nuts, which in total is worth about Rs 5.5 crore. Whereas, the dried dates that were used to carry out the smuggling of areca nuts cost around Rs 3.5 lakh, stated Visakhapatnam Port and the customs department officials. Both the illicit contents were seized under the Customs Act, 1962, for violating the provisions of the Customs Act.

Further statements by the authorities verified that the areca nuts attract a high customs duty of 110 per cent, which lead the culprit to disguise the goods as dried dates. The perpetrator is identified to be a 53-year-old resident of Visakhapatnam. He has been detained in judicial custody.

Areca nuts, more commonly known as betel nuts, are notoriously known to be used in the surreptitious manufacture of Gutka. This harmful substance is cancer-causing and has several damaging effects on the human body.

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