MUMBAI: The Nhava Sheva unit of the Customs department on Thursday destroyed firecrackers, worth Rs 1 crore, imported illegally from China to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Navi Mumbai. The firecrackers were reportedly meant to be sold across the country during Diwali.
The Customs was tipped off about the arrival of the large consignment and swooped down on the port. The officials took a snap decision to get rid of the crackers immediately, and destroyed them at an isolated space nearby in a large container. An official from the Customs department confirmed that the firecrackers were valued at R1 crore.
In total, illegally imported China-made firecrackers worth R38 crore have been collectively seized by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs this year from the port. These firecrackers were illegally brought into the country by different businessmen. “Chinese firecrackers are considered to be of low quality and hazardous,” said a Customs official.
Chinese firecrackers constitute around 35 per cent of the Indian market. The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), which comes under the ministry of commerce and industry, hasn’t granted licences for their import. According to PESO, the smuggled items include hazardous chlorates and are cheaper than Indian crackers, which contain nitrates and metallic powder.
After China explicitly expressed its support to Pakistan, refused to allow the UN sanctioning of terrorist Masood Azhar, and blocked India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group, India has formed teams of Customs and DRI officials to act against illegal imports from China, especially firecrackers.
