NAGPUR, May 27: Central Excise and Customs officials seized cinnamon worth lakhs of rupees near Pardi naka here on Sunday morning. The consignment was being smuggled into Mumbai from China. Two persons were arrested in this connection. This is the biggest haul of cinnamon by Excise officials in the city.

According to Z B Nagarkar, Commissioner, Central Excise and Customs (Nagpur Division), the smugglers have been taking advantage of the Indo-Nepal treaty.Under this Nepal can import certain goods through India only via Calcutta. According to Nagarkar, the seized stock was coming to India from China via Singapore as there is no free trade of cinnamon in China.

The documents seized from the truck driver revealed that the stock was marked for Nepal. As per the Indo-Nepal Treaty, the stock was cleared from Calcutta as it was heading towards Nepal.

The customs officer said, ``We received information that the truck which should have been on its way to Nepal entered the Maharashtra border instead, violating government regulations. The smugglers, who were apparently from Mumbai city, took advantage of the treaty as Mumbai has a bigger market for cinnamon.''

Commissioner of Central Excise Nagarkar said the modus operandi of the smugglers was so foolproof that the Excise officials could not elicit much information from the truck driver. The smugglers might have changed the truck driver between Calcutta and Nagpur, he added. There is no ban on import of cinnamon in India.

However, there is some restriction on cinnamon import. Only licence-holders can import cinnamon and it has a good market in India, Nagarkar said. ``Upon receiving information, the officials were on watch for the truck (BR-01H-7411) since Friday, " he said. Finally, the officials managed to seize cinnamon consignment of about 10 tonnes which is worth about Rs 25 lakh in the Indian market on Sunday, Nagarkar added.

Nagarkar said as per the driver's version, the truck loaded with cinnamon was to be handed over to another person in Nagpur. This third person probably escaped after sensing trouble.

The seizure operation was carried out by Dinesh Pangarkar, Assistant Commissioner, Division-I, constable A B Satpal and S D Pawar.

This was done under the guidance of Additional Commissioner T H K Ghauri. The accused truck driver and cleaner were remanded to magisterial custody for 14 days.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.