Latest news with #MumbaiCustoms
News18
a day ago
- News18
Four held with Rs 7.32 crore drugs at Mumbai airport
Last Updated: Mumbai, Jul 22 (PTI) Mumbai Customs has arrested four passengers at the airport here after seizing hydroponic weed and other prohibited drugs valued at Rs 7.32 crore from them, officials said on Tuesday. The operation was conducted by the Mumbai Customs' Airport Commissionerate between July 15 and 20, an official said. A passenger, who arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here from Bangkok, was intercepted in the early hours of July 15. The customs sleuths seized 610 gm of hydroponic weed concealed inside the passenger's trolley bag, the official said. Two other passengers, who had also arrived from Bangkok, were apprehended in the next two days after 5.25 kg and 1.45 kg of hydroponic weed was recovered from them, he said. In another case, a passenger going from Mumbai to Riyadh was held after the seizure of 99 bottles of a cough syrup containing the banned codeine phosphate chemical as its constituent, the official said. PTI DC GK Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Good news for exporters, jewellery hand carriage facilitation centre opened at Terminal 2 of Mumbai international airport
Mumbai: In a move set to significantly enhance India's gem and jewellery export infrastructure, the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), in collaboration with Mumbai Customs, inaugurated the Jewellery Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday. Recognising the strategic importance of enabling seamless hand carriage, GJEPC secured and equipped a dedicated space at the airport. With the premises now officially notified as a customs area and Bharat Diamond Bourse appointed as custodian, the centre is fully operational, offering 24x7 services for jewellery hand carriage exports and imports. The launch of this dedicated facility follows a push by the GJEPC to address logistical and regulatory challenges associated with high-value, hand-carried gem and jewellery consignments. Mumbai, which accounts for nearly 65%–70% of India's gem and jewellery exports, saw shipments worth $19.65 billion from the western region in 2024–25. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Ashok Gajera, managing director of Laxmi Diamond, one of the largest export houses, said, "The new centre provides a single-window clearance system with integrated support from Mumbai Customs, CISF, police, and airport authorities. It will streamline high-value exports, reduce paperwork, and significantly cut turnaround time, offering exporters both transparency and operational ease." Gajera explained that earlier when there were orders from clients, jewellery or samples would have to be exported, and the businessman would fly out later once the jewellery reached the destination. This, he said, was not only a "time-consuming affair" but also a "tedious one". GJEPC chairman Kirit Bhansali said, "This milestone is part of the council's wider commitment to ease of doing business. Alongside the e-commerce channel, hand carriage will prove vital for MSMEs and for high-value shipments, especially to FTA partner nations, such as UAE under CEPA, Australia under ECTA, and the UK. It's faster, more cost-effective, and flexible — ideal for urgent global orders." Personal carriage of jewellery for export is currently permitted at nine locations under India's Foreign Trade Policy — Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaipur. Imports are allowed at seven airports. However, fully operational hand carriage centres are presently available only in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Jaipur. GJEPC noted that this facility is part of a broader rollout across nine Indian cities, in alignment with the govt's thrust on improving export competitiveness and simplifying procedures.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Exporters can now hand-carry jewellery for exports via new facilitation centre at Mumbai airport
Exporters can now hand-carry jewellery in their bags which are meant for exports. The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council ( GJEPC ), in collaboration with Mumbai Customs , has come up with a Jewellery Hand Carriage Facilitation Centre at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Recognising the potential of hand carriage for boosting gem and jewellery exports—especially from Mumbai, which typically accounts for nearly 65–70% of the country's exports—GJEPC engaged with the government to come up with a facilitation centre. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Anticipating future clearance, the Council secured a dedicated space at the Mumbai airport on a rental basis and fully equipped it in advance. With the premises now notified as a customs area with Bharat Diamond Bourse appointed as a custodian, the Centre is fully operational—ready to facilitate round-the-clock hand carriage exports. In FY 2024-25, gem and jewellery exports from the Western Region (Mumbai Port) totalled US$ 19,653.24 million, accounting for approximately 68% of India's total gross gem and jewellery exports during the year. The new dedicated facility is aimed at streamlining export procedures for high-value gem and jewellery shipments carried by hand, bringing greater transparency, faster clearance, and enhanced ease of doing business for exporters. Live Events Kirit Bhansali, chairman, GJEPC commented, 'Alongside the e-commerce export channel, hand carriage will prove especially beneficial for MSMEs and high-value shipments , especially to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partner nations such as UAE under CEPA, Australia under ECTA and UK FTA." Dnyaneshwar B. Patil, Development Commissioner, SEEPZ-SEZ said' With SEEPZ contributing a significant share (around 13%) to India's gem and jewellery exports, the availability of a dedicated hand carriage facility just minutes away will enable faster clearances, reduce logistical hurdles, and provide greater flexibility for companies handling high-value, urgent shipments.' The new facilitation centre will serve as a single-window facility supported by Mumbai Customs, CISF, police, and airport authorities. Personal carriage of gem and jewellery is permitted through select airports as specified in the Foreign Trade Policy. For exports, the facility is allowed at nine locations: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaipur. For imports, personal carriage is permitted at seven locations: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaipur. At present, the personal hand carriage facility is operational in Kolkata, Jaipur, Mumbai, and Delhi. The Council noted that this initiative is part of a broader rollout across nine key centres in India, designed to strengthen infrastructure for the gem and jewellery export sector.
NDTV
11-07-2025
- NDTV
Hydroponic Weed Worth Rs 33.35 Crore Seized At Mumbai Airport, 8 Arrested
Mumbai: Mumbai Customs has seized 33.35 kilograms of hydroponic weed valued at Rs 33.35 crore over three days, leading to the arrest of eight persons in six cases, officials have said. Hydroponic cultivation is the method of growing plants with mineral nutrient solutions in a water-based solvent rather than soil. Those arrested comprise seven passengers and a receiver responsible for collecting the contraband in one case, they said on Thursday. Since July 8, the Airport Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs has launched a special operation to crack down on drug trafficking by passengers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), an official said. In the first case, a traveller was apprehended in the early hours of Wednesday with 5.024 kg of hydroponic weed, hidden inside vacuum-sealed black and transparent plastic packets kept inside the trolley bag, an official said. "In another case, hydroponic weed worth Rs 2.425 crore was seized, and a passenger was arrested. On Wednesday, a passenger arriving from Bangkok was held with 2.481 kg of suspected hydroponic weed worth Rs 2.481 crore. On the same day, two passengers arriving from Bangkok were held with 11.891 kg of suspected hydroponic weed worth Rs 11.891 crore," he said. The narcotic substance was cleverly concealed inside the checked-in trolley bag carried by the passengers, both of whom were arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, he said. "In addition to these two passengers, a person who came to receive the contraband was held from the rickshaw parking lot outside the airport. In two more cases, 11 kilograms of the narcotic substance, valued at Rs 11 crore, was seized from two passengers," the official informed. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said in the legislative council last week that 'hydro' ganja was proving to be a big challenge for the government and asserted that the Centre and state had intensified their fight against the drug business. On Wednesday, the Maharashtra assembly passed a bill to bring drug peddlers and narcotics crimes under the purview of the stringent anti-organised crime law MCOCA.
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Indian Express
In 5 cases, hydroponic weed worth Rs 28 cr seized at airport in a day
In five separate cases, Mumbai Customs officials seized hydroponic weed worth Rs 28 crore at the city airport on Wednesday and arrested seven people. In all the cases, the narcotics were being smuggled from Bangkok, officials said. Acting on specific intelligence, the Customs officials intercepted a Ghatkopar-based couple arriving from Bangkok and recovered from them 11.891 kg of suspected hydroponic weed (marijuana), with an illicit market value of approximately Rs 11.891 crore. They had allegedly concealed the narcotics inside the checked-in trolley bag. Their interrogation led investigators to a receiver, who was subsequently arrested. The receiver had promised money to the couple for the smuggling purpose. In the second case, on the basis of profiling, Customs officers intercepted a passenger arriving from Bangkok. Officers recovered 2.425 kg of suspected Marijuana) worth Rs 2.425 crore. which was concealed inside vacuum-sealed black and transparent plastic packets kept inside the trolley bag carried by the passenger, the customs officials said. Another passenger arriving from Bangkok was arrested with 2.481 kg of hydroponic weed worth Rs 2.481 crore hidden in his checked-in trolley bag. Similarly, two passengers were separately nabbed on the basis of specific intel and the narcotic substance worth Rs 5.582 crore and Rs 5.952 crore were seized from their trolley bags. All the passengers were arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
