In a remarkable operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday busted a nefarious gang involved in the smuggling of areca nuts (also called betel nuts or supari). Employing an ingenious modus operandi, the DRI managed to unearth a racket wherein undeclared areca nuts were surreptitiously placed within containers carrying declared cover cargo during transit from port to Container Freight Stations (CFS).

This resolute crackdown on the smuggling network has led to the arrest of five individuals and the seizure of over 50 metric tonnes of areca nuts worth Rs 4.43 crore, from two cases. Areca nuts attract customs duty at 100 per cent on the prevailing tariff value of $9093 per metric tonne, and to avoid paying it, the gang attempted to smuggle the nuts.