Not gold or drugs! NCRB report reveals unusual smuggling haul from mannequins to vaginal gels & garlic

From stylish mannequins and perfumery oils to skin-tightening and vaginal gels, central enforcement agencies uncovered an unusual range of smuggled items during operations carried out across India in 2024, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 48,700 kg of skin-tightening gel and 1.49 lakh litres of vaginal gel in separate anti-smuggling operations during the year, the “Crime in India 2024” report released by the NCRB revealed.

Authorities also confiscated 49,900 litres of rose essential gel and 40,200 litres of perfumery compound oil, along with 7,560 “stylish mannequins”, making the list of seizures one of the most unusual in recent years.

Apart from cosmetic and wellness products, enforcement agencies also seized a wide range of commercial and industrial items.

The NCRB data showed that officials recovered nearly 99.6 lakh hearing aids, 76,000 automatic voltage regulators, 66,800 feeding tubes and suction catheters, and 3.56 lakh kg of screws during various operations.

The report further stated that authorities seized 39,900 foreign-origin pocket lighters, more than 3.11 lakh cosmetic products, 13,110 kg of electric supply conductor devices and 32,434 kg of garlic.

Separate entries in the NCRB report also mentioned seizures involving peacock feathers and red sandalwood, both of which are frequently linked to illegal wildlife and forest-product smuggling networks.

The NCRB compiles enforcement and crime-related data submitted by several central agencies, including the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation and Narcotics Control Bureau.

According to the report, the DRI registered 408 seizure-related cases in 2024 and arrested 690 people in connection with anti-smuggling operations conducted across the country.