DRI seizes Pakistan-origin watermelon seeds worth Rs 2 crore at Nhava Sheva port

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 25,000 kg of Pakistan-origin watermelon seeds worth over Rs 2 crore, which were misdeclared as UAE-origin to circumvent the import ban, and arrested two persons in the operation, the finance ministry said on Friday.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers examined a consignment of around 25,000 kg seeds, declared as UAE-origin muskmelon seeds, imported through Nhava Sheva Port. Examination revealed that the goods were watermelon seeds, with evidence indicating their Pakistani origin.

"The investigations yielded crucial documentary evidence, clearly establishing the movement of the consignment from Pakistan through Dubai to India, contradicting the declared UAE origin," the ministry said.

The import was in contravention of the applicable import policy on two counts.

First, the import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan is prohibited since May 2025, a decision taken after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.

Second, watermelon seeds have been restricted for import into India with effect from July 2024.

"Accordingly, the consignment, having a market value of approximately Rs 2.02 crore, was seized on October 14, 2026 under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962," the ministry said.

Separately, DRI officers have seized 5.6 kg of heroin and arrested four persons in an intelligence-led operation conducted on October 21, 2026, in Phagwara, near Jalandhar, Punjab.

Heroin is a highly addictive opioid that depresses the central nervous system and carries a serious risk of dependence, respiratory depression, overdose and death.

In India, it is a prohibited narcotic drug regulated under the NDPS Act, 1985.