Pune Customs recovers Ganja worth Rs 23 lakhs, Gudam Garam cigarettes worth Rs 62 lakhs

Pune, July 10, 2019 : Based on an information regarding trafficking of Narcotics Drugs, officers of Customs Narcotics Cell kept surveillance near Patil Estate, Shivaji Nagar Pune on 03.07.2019 and intercepted a car. Search of the said vehicle resulted in recovery of 108 Kgs of Ganja packed in 4 Gunny Bags. One person driving the vehicle namely Shri Arun Shivaji Bhosale of Sangola Distt. Solapur, found in the offending vehicle & has confessed to the crime of procurement & transportation of Ganja for sale in Pune.

In a second Narcotics case booked on the same day i.e. 03.07.2019 the officers kept surveillance near Aundh Chest Hospital, Pune and intercepted one Verna Car Bearing registration Number MH12DY6161 at about 17:30 hrs. Search of the said vehicle resulted in recovery of 51 Kgs of Ganja packed in 2 white colored plastic Gunny Bags. The person driving the vehicle namely Shri. Shivdas Baban Pawar resident of Village Asu, Tal. Paranda, Distt. Osmanabad Maharashtra, found in the offending vehicle has confessed to the crime of procurement & transportation of Ganja.

The contraband Ganja in the aforesaid two cases valued at Rs 23.32. Lakhs, alongwith the two vehicles valued at Rs. 13 Lakhs (Total Rs. 36.32 Lakhs) have all been seized under panchnama for contravention of the provisions of NDPS Act 1985. Investigation regarding supplier and the receiver of the seized Ganja in the aforesaid cases is being probed.

Further, based on specific information received, officers of Customs preventive had recently intercepted 06 parcels at Pune Railway station containing Contraband foreign make cigarettes purportedly smuggled from Myanmar and Nepal via Kolkata valued at Rs 48 lakhs have been seized.

In a second case Five Cardboard Boxes containing 300 cartons packed with 72000 sticks of Contraband foreign make cigarettes Gudang Garam Brand valued at Rs.14.40 lakhs was seized from the premises of a Travel Company located near Golibar Maidan Camp Pune. This consignment was sent from Ahmadabad to a customer in Pune through a travel bus.

Investigation in the case of illegally procured foreign brand cigarettes have revealed that the availability of International smuggled cigarettes has spread all over the country as retailers benefits enormously by pushing sales of foreign brand cigarettes due to higher trade margins as these cigarettes of foreign brand are offered to retailers at extremely low prices compared to Indian manufacturers. Further illegal cigarettes are sold cheap due to tax evasion affording a huge arbitrage opportunity.

Investigation in the case of illegally procured foreign brand cigarettes have revealed that the availability of International smuggled cigarettes has spread all over the country as retailers benefits enormously by pushing sales of foreign brand cigarettes due to higher trade margins as these cigarettes of foreign brand are offered to retailers at extremely low prices compared to Indian manufacturers. Further Illegal cigarettes are sold cheap due to tax evasion affording a huge arbitrage opportunity. A detailed investigation of the Supplier/ Buyer in all the aforesaid case is being probed into. The investigation in respect of narcotics cases being probed into by Superintendent Narcotics Shri Alexander Lee, Inspectors Mukesh Kumar and Rahul Negi Likewise ,investigation in the case of Cigarettes is being probed by Supdt. Shri G N Damle alongwith Inspector tunjad Shaikh under the over all guidance and supervision of Dy Commissioner (Prev) Shri Mahesh Patil, and Smt Vaishali Patange Jt .Commissioner (Prev) of Customs Pune.

The mandate of the Customs Preventive is to nab the economic offenders involved in the evasion of Customs duty, and Criminals engaged in the activity of trafficking of Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic substances. Persons interested in providing genuine information on evasion of Customs duty / trafficking of drugs may contact the concern officers on Phone Nos. 020 26051804 / 020 26051848. Genuine information parted will be rewarded as per government norms and conditions, officials said.