Ahnedabad:Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) team has busted smuggling of High End Drones from China through Indo-Myanmar Border and seized 85 Drones and other smuggled items worth market value of more than Rs. One Crore in Ahmedabad.

A DRI official today said that an intelligence was developed by the DRI Zonal Unit, Ahmedabad that one Ahmedabad based person was involved in smuggling of Drones from China through Myanmar-Manipur border. It was gathered that Drones were being smuggled from China first to Imphal through Indo-Myanmar border and then from Imphal to Ahmadabad as domestic cargo by Air India Flight by mis- declaring them as camera stand, household goods, defective electronic items etc.

It was further gathered that his one such consignment would be coming from Imphal to Ahmedabad on Sunday morning by Air India Flight.

Accordingly officers of DRI went to domestic cargo warehouse of Air India at SVP Airport in the morning and kept watch over the said consignment. When the driver of the said person reached there to collect the consignment, DRI officers followed him and intercepted him and the owner at their Shop in Vasna with the consignment. Then DRI officers conducted searches at his Vasna and Paldi Crossroads shops and recovered total 85 high end Drones of DJI Mavic, DJI Phantom and MI Brands. Besides, 27 DJI Mavic Air Fly More Kit and 34 DJI Ronin S Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer for DSLR and Mirrorless Camera (used in film shootings) were also recovered and seized being smuggled items.The owner of the goods admitted that he was doing smuggling of Drones for the last 4-5 Months. Initially smuggled Drones were coming from Imphal to Ahmedabad in his own name but later on he started doing this in the name of the driver, the official said.

Drones pose threat to National Security also as they can be used for espionage and sabotage purposes by the Enemy States, Anti- Nationalists and Terrorist Groups.Considering the security risk involved Equipment Type Approval (ETA) from WPC (Wireless Planning and Co-ordination)Wing of Department of Telecommunication,import clearance from DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) , DGFT Import Licence, DGCA UIN (Unique Identification Number) etc. are required for import of Drones. Market value of all seized smuggled items is more than Rs. 1.25 crores. Further enquiry is under progress, he informed.

DeshGujarat