One held for importing ozone depleting gases

Chennai, Feb 5 (UNI) Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested a Hyderabad-based importer for illegal import of Ozone Depleting Gases worth Rs 60 lakh.

The arrest was made by the DRI officials in Hyderabad on February 2 and the person was remanded to judicial custody.

A DRI release here today said the importer had floated two firms in the names of fictitious persons and others known to him, apart from his own firm.

He had been importing LG mini fridges, vacuum pumps, compressor oil and had concealed the ozone depleting gases in cylinders weighing 13 kg and 22 kg, along with imported goods from Singapore.

Three containers containing the imported ozone depleting gases were seized by the officers of DRI Hyderabad, the release said.

Investigations also revealed that the importer had indulged in such offences in 2003.

Import of ozone depleting substances and gases were prohibited under the Import Export Policy and under the Customs Act, 1962, the release added.

UNI GV GD NY GC1641