Chennai, Thoothukudi among ports used for smuggling poppy seeds

THE Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has recently flagged a nation-wide alert regarding the smuggling of poppy seeds from Malaysia and other southeast Asian countries through ports across India, including Chennai and Thoothukudi, by either misdeclaring the cargo or concealing it in some other consignment.

- SIDDHARTH PRABHAKAR

Obtained from the poppy plant, which is also the source of opium, poppy seeds are commonly used for cooking in Indian households, but there is a restriction in place for its import. Indian norms permit the import of poppy seeds only from 16 countries. In addition, the importer has to produce a certificate from the competent authority of the exporting country, showing the Opium poppy has been grown legally in that country. All import contracts would also have to register with the Central Bureau of Narcotics, Gwalior. This i