Mumbai, Aug 9 (PTI) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a gang involved in the smuggling of areca nuts by arresting five persons, including the mastermind, at JNPT in Navi Mumbai, an official said on Wednesday.

DRI also seized over 50 tons of areca nuts, collectively valued at around Rs 4.40 crore, from two separate containers at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Nhava Sheva, in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

Also Read | Manipur Violence: 'Shameful' That Amit Shah Questioning 'Timing' of Release of Video of Two Women Being Paraded Naked, Says Jairam Ramesh.

According to DRI, the smuggling was carried out by way of misdeclaration and replacement of the smuggled areca nuts stuffed in the containers with the cover cargo during the movement of two containers from the port to the Container Freight Station (CFS).

In the first incident, DRI officials intercepted a 40 ft container, shipped from Dubai, where the import cargo was declared as 'Quick Lime Lumps', the official said.

Also Read | Bilkis Bano Case: Supreme Court Hears Arguments Against Maintainability of PILs Challenging Remission to 11 Convicts.

"The detailed examination of the container found approximately 25.9 tons of areca nuts in a split form. They are valued at Rs 2.23 crore," he said.

Separately, the DRI intercepted another 40 feet container, also shipped from Dubai, where the import cargo was declared as 'gypsum powder'.

"The goods found inside the container were areca nuts in a whole form, packed in jute gunny bags. Areca nuts weighing 25.8 tons and valued at Rs 2.2 crore were seized," the official said.

Two persons were arrested, including the IEC holder, in the first incident. Further investigation revealed that smuggling was done similarly through some other containers, a DRI statement said.

"The interrogation of the arrested persons revealed that areca nuts in two more containers were smuggled similarly by way of misdeclaration and replacement of the smuggled areca nuts stuffed in the container by the cover cargo during the container movement from the port to the CFS," the statement added.

The seizures were made under the Customs Act.

Further investigation is underway.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)