Racket for smuggling iPhones is busted by DRI

A stockpile of iPhones was smuggled into the country, according to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

On the 26th of November, officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) assessed two consignments after developing specific intelligence. These shipments came from Hong Kong to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport’s Air Cargo Complex (ACC). The commodities were declared as “memory cards” in the import documentation. However, a physical inspection found that the consignments actually contained the following items–

The intercepted consignments contained a total of 3,646 (three thousand six hundred and forty-six) iPhone-13 mobile phones. The above-mentioned mobile phones and Apple smart watch were seized under the Customs Act of 1962 because they had not been disclosed. The entire worth of the seized products is estimated to be roughly Rs. 42.86 crore, despite the fact that the claimed value was only Rs. 80 lakh.

From September 2021 onwards, iPhone 13 models will be available in India, with a starting price of Rs. 70,000/- and higher-end variants costing up to Rs. 1,80,000/-. Mobile phones are subject to an effective Customs Duty of roughly 44 percent when imported into India.

The discovery of attempted smuggling of these high-end phones in such huge numbers demonstrates how rapidly smugglers build smuggling networks for the most recent items, such as the iPhone 13. This discovery aided in the discovery of a large import fraud, demonstrating DRI’s ability to detect and combat novel and sophisticated smuggling methods with significant revenue ramifications. DRI stays steadfast in its fight against smuggling as defenders of the nation’s economic frontiers.