Operation Fire Trail

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), operating under the Ministry of Finance, has successfully concluded “Operation Fire Trail”, leading to the seizure of a massive quantity of illicit Chinese firecrackers/fireworks.

Key Highlights of the Operation:

• Value of Seizure: Approximately ₹35 crore worth of Chinese firecrackers were seized.
• Quantity: The seized fireworks weighed 100 metric tonnes.
• Location of Seizure: The operation traced, intercepted, and seized the containers at or destined for:
  • Nhava Sheva Port
  • Mundra Port
  • Kandla SEZ
• Concealment Method: The firecrackers were found concealed in seven containers.
• Illicit Import Scheme: These Chinese fireworks were illicitly imported:
  • In the name of a KASEZ (Kandla Special Economic Zone) unit and certain IEC (Importer-Exporter Code) holders.
  • By misdeclaring them as other goods, such as “Mini Decorative Plants,” “Artificial Flowers,” and “Plastic Mats,” to evade detection.
• DRI’s Role: The DRI, a premier intelligence and enforcement agency of the Ministry of Finance, was responsible for successfully executing this operation.

(Source: PIB)