Pariksha SaathiDRI's Operation Deep Manifest seizes about 25,000 kg of Pakistan-origin watermelon seeds routed through Dubai
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), under Operation Deep Manifest, intercepted a consignment of around 25,000 kg of watermelon seeds at Nhava Sheva Port that had been shipped from Karachi, transshipped at Jebel Ali, Dubai, and falsely declared as UAE-origin muskmelon seeds. The consignment, worth about ₹2.02 crore, was seized on 14 October 2026, and two persons were arrested on 22 October. The import broke two rules: the prohibition on the direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan (DGFT Notification No. 06/2025-26 of 2 May 2025, issued after the Pahalgam terror attack of April 2025), and the restriction on importing watermelon seeds in force since 1 July 2024 (DGFT Notification No. 02/2023 of 5 April 2024). With an earlier 22,000 kg consignment imported in February 2026, the investigation detected a total of 46,920 kg of Pakistan-origin watermelon and muskmelon seeds.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is the premier intelligence and enforcement agency on anti-smuggling matters under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC). It came into existence on 4 December 1957 and has its headquarters in New Delhi, with 12 Zonal Units, 35 Regional Units and 15 Sub-Regional Units. Its annual 'Smuggling in India - Report 2023-24' was to be released at its 67th Foundation Day celebration on 4 December 2024.
Check yourself: when did the DRI come into existence, and under which board does it work?
On 4 December 1957; the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC).
Revision task: from this release, note the operation's name, the port, the route of the seeds, the value and weight seized, the two DGFT rules broken and their dates; from the note, the DRI's founding date, its parent board and its annual report.
Test yourself
Under which operation did the DRI seize Pakistan-origin watermelon seeds routed through Dubai and misdeclared as of UAE origin, in October 2026?
Show the answer
Answer: Operation Deep Manifest
The DRI's Operation Deep Manifest targets attempts to evade India's prohibition on goods from Pakistan. The seeds had been shipped from Karachi, transshipped at Jebel Ali, Dubai, and declared as of UAE origin.
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