Jun 01, 2025 06:30 AM IST

NAVI MUMBAI: Two hundred containers of imported tur dal have been seized by the vigilance team of the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Navi Mumbai, for bypassing the APMC and attempting to sell the produce directly in the market. In one of its biggest-ever operations, the APMC squad also levied a record fine of around ₹1,11 crore on the importer.

The seizure was made on the night of May 29, following a special drive, where the vigilance team was keeping watch at JNPA, Turbhe, Nerul, the Thane-Belapur Road and Navi Mumbai area for vehicles illegally transporting agricultural produce.

While checking a container trailer at Vahal junction in Uran, the team found it was transporting tur dal. Documents recovered from the driver revealed the container was part of a 200-container consignment of tur dal exported by Agglo Commodities FZE, Jebel Ali, Free Zone, Dubai. They had been imported by Namha Imports, Mumbai.

The squad also found no record of the consignment at the APMC. In other words, the importer did not have permission to import the produce in the APMC’s jurisdiction, nor did it have an import licence from the APMC. No cess, supervision charges of 1%, or market fee for the consignment had been paid.

After the initial container, the team seized all 200 containers from the godown where the consignment had been stored. The squad seized 5,010 tonnes of the pulse worth ₹34.6 crore. The vehicle used to transport the containers was also seized for non-payment of charges and conducting business illegally.

It is mandatory to get APMC permission to engage in the agricultural produce business in the Mumbai region. Under the Maharashtra Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1963, a penalty can be levied that is three times the fees and charges for perishable agricultural produce seized for violating the rules. Apart from the fine, market fee, supervision charges and other related fees are also recovered by the APMC.

In the last two months, the APMC has collected ₹30 lakh in fines following its drive against those avoiding the taxes.

APMC secretary PL Khandagale, said, “The failure of the importer to inform APMC of the import and payment of the dues confirms the intention of evasion of the market fee and supervision charges. We are hence recovering ₹1,11,48,000 in fines and dues from the importer.”