DRI seizes iPhone 13 worth Rs 43 crore at Mumbai airport

In a major swoop, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a iPhone smuggling racket and seized goods valued Rs 43 crore at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

Based on specific intelligence, the DRI inspected two consignments at the Air Cargo Complex, in which these phones were found.

The consignment had arrived from Hong Kong.

The seizure includes iPhone 13 Pro (2,245), iPhone 13 Pro Max (1,401), Google Pixel 6 Pro (12) and Apple Smart Watch (1).

“In the import documents, the goods were declared as memory cards,” DRI officials said.

Thus, a total of 3,646 iPhone-13 mobile phones were found in the intercepted consignments. The goods were seized under the Customs Act, 1962.

The total value of the seized goods is around Rs. 42.86 crore, while the declared value of the goods was only Rs 80 lakh.

“iPhone 13 models went for sale in India from September 2021 onwards, with a base price of Rs 70,000, and some of the higher-end models costing up to Rs 1,80,000. Import of mobile phones into India attracts effective Customs Duty of around 44 per cent,” a DRI statement said.

The detection of attempted smuggling of these high-end phones of latest models in such large numbers shows how quickly the smugglers establish their smuggling networks for the latest products like iPhone 13.

“This detection has helped unearth a serious import fraud, reinforcing DRI’s ability to detect and combat unique and sophisticated methods of smuggling, having substantial revenue implications. As the guardians of the nation’s economic frontiers, DRI remains steadfast to combat smuggling,” the statement said.

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