Containers with Chinese fire-crackers seized at Gujarat port

Amreli

A huge quantity of Chinese fire-crackers imported illegally and secretly hidden beneath glass sheets in three containers has been seized by the customs sleuths near Pipavav port in Amreli district of Gujarat, official sources said today.

‘The three containers were brought on a vessel from Shanghai and were lying outside a local go-down. The containers were supposed to contain glass sheets but on checking a huge quantity of fire-crackers were found under the upper layer of glass sheets,’ the sources said.

‘The containers were booked in the name of a local firm and some of the fire crackers were quite costly. As per initial estimates the total price of the seized fire-crackers was in crores of rupees,’ the sources said adding that efforts were on to nab the culprits.

The sources said that the customs sleuths would now keep a strict vigil on the imported consignments at the Pipavav port till Diwali to foil another such bid during the upcoming festive season during which fire-crackers remain high in demand.