ED Seizes Over 289 MTs Indonesian Betel Nuts In Money Laundering Case

Over 289 metric tonnes of “unaccounted” betel nuts worth Rs 11.5 crore were taken following raids at several properties in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of a cash washing probe versus individuals associated with smuggling of its Indonesian range, the Enforcement Directorate stated here on Saturday. The ED case originates from a CBI FIR of March in 2015 where it was declared that numerous Nagpur-based traders in connivance with different public servants delighted in “smuggling” of sub-standard betel nuts/areca nuts of Indonesian origin and wrongly declaring the exact same to be stemming from member nations of South Asia Preferential Trading Agreement (SAPTA) and South Asia Free Trading Agreement (SAFTA). This was done, the company stated in a declaration, by utilizing “phony” certificates of origin, and by utilizing fake and under-valued bills/invoices and therefore “averting” Customs responsibility. The Indonesian betel nut is smuggled mainly from throughout the Myanmar border. Probe discovered, it stated, that there is a well arranged distribute of providers of Indonesian betel nut, commission representatives, logistics companies, transporters, hawala operators and purchasers who were smuggling this chewing product into India through the India-Myanmar border. Made” domestic billings were made and smuggled betel nuts were given Nagpur and Gondia districts of Maharashtra, it said.The firm stated it took unaccounted betel nut of 289.57 metric tonnes (MT) valued at approximately Rs 11.5 crore at Nagpur apart from Rs 16.5 lakh money. The godown owner might not provide the KYC of the traders who transferred the betel nut and stopped working to provide any supporting paperwork like stock register, costs, billings, quality certificate, transportation files and so on. (With PTI inputs)
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