Smuggling bid foiled at Amritsar airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a major smuggling racket and seized a large consignment of high-end mobile phones and counterfeit cigarettes from three international passengers at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar.

According to official sources, the action was carried out on the basis of specific intelligence inputs. The three passengers had arrived from Sharjah on an Air India Express flight when they were intercepted by DRI officials for detailed examination.

During the search of their baggage, officials recovered a total of 45 iPhone 17 Pro Max (512GB) devices. In addition to the premium smartphones, a substantial quantity of counterfeit cigarettes was also seized from their possession.

DRI officials stated that the cigarettes fall under the category of prohibited goods in India, making their import a punishable offence under the law. The mobile phones, brought in commercial quantities, cannot be treated as personal baggage under the Baggage Rules. Consequently, the goods were confiscated under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.

All seized items have been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the larger network behind the smuggling attempt. Legal proceedings have been initiated against the passengers, officials added.