Basmati, dry fruits detained

Hyderabad: About 80 per cent commodities in the traditional markets of Hyderabad  Afzalgunj, Osmangunj, Srikrupa Market, Malakpet  thrive on goods illegally transported from other states. “Over 30 vehicles, loaded with basmati rice and dry fruits, worth Rs15 crore, have been detained. These vehicles were heading for delivery at these traditional wholesale markets in the city,” said an official with the state Commercial Tax departmental.

Apart from rail containers, authorities have launched a crackdown on transportation of goods by road in order to check smuggling.“These trucks loaded with pulses, sugar and other commodities from Chhattisgarh and other states, where sales tax is exempted, are found illegally selling goods in the state by abusing the ‘transit pass system’,” said an official of the department.

“Transit passes are issued to loaded trucks and vehicles at entrance check posts of the state, allowing them to travel through the state without any checks and submit the passes at the border check post (indicating that the load has not been delivered within the state),” said an official.