Cyber Crime
DRI seizes over 11,000 banned walkie-talkies, e-waste HDDs worth ₹9 crore at Navi Mumbai port
2026-03-23
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 11,000 prohibited walkie-talkie sets and second-hand hard disk drives (HDDs) worth over ₹9 crore at Nhava Sheva port in Navi Mumbai, in a major crackdown on illegal electronics imports.
Acting on specific intelligence, officials confiscated 11,060 Baofeng BF-888S walkie-talkies valued at around ₹2.5 crore, along with used HDDs classified as e-waste worth approximately ₹6.75 crore. The goods were part of a larger consignment valued at about ₹30 crore, shipped from China across eight containers and allegedly misdeclared as miscellaneous electronic items to evade regulatory scrutiny.
A father-son duo, owners of two Mumbai-based firms linked to the imports, have been arrested under provisions of the Customs Act, officials said.
Authorities noted that the walkie-talkies are blacklisted by India’s Department of Telecommunications for operating on unauthorised frequencies, raising concerns over illegal communication use and potential national security risks. Such devices require specific licences for import and operation.
In addition, the import of second-hand HDDs falls under restricted categories and requires prior authorisation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which was not obtained in this case.
The seizure underscores tightening enforcement against illicit electronics imports and increasing scrutiny of e-waste and communication devices entering India, particularly those with regulatory and security implications.
Acting on specific intelligence, officials confiscated 11,060 Baofeng BF-888S walkie-talkies valued at around ₹2.5 crore, along with used HDDs classified as e-waste worth approximately ₹6.75 crore. The goods were part of a larger consignment valued at about ₹30 crore, shipped from China across eight containers and allegedly misdeclared as miscellaneous electronic items to evade regulatory scrutiny.
A father-son duo, owners of two Mumbai-based firms linked to the imports, have been arrested under provisions of the Customs Act, officials said.
Authorities noted that the walkie-talkies are blacklisted by India’s Department of Telecommunications for operating on unauthorised frequencies, raising concerns over illegal communication use and potential national security risks. Such devices require specific licences for import and operation.
In addition, the import of second-hand HDDs falls under restricted categories and requires prior authorisation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), which was not obtained in this case.
The seizure underscores tightening enforcement against illicit electronics imports and increasing scrutiny of e-waste and communication devices entering India, particularly those with regulatory and security implications.
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