Iranian Saffron, memory cards worth over Rs 28 lakhs seized, two held

November 4, 2012

Mangalore, November 3: Officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested two passengers at the Bajpe airport on Saturday and seized 25 kg of saffron of Iranian origin and 3,700 memory cards of Rs three lakh from them.

The arrested are Mohammed Ali, a resident of Anangoor and Ahmed Nisar of Nellikkunnu in Kasaragod district of Kerala.

The duo were traveling in Air India 814 Dubai - Mangalore flight carrying saffron and memory cards of Rs illegally. Upon examination of their baggage, the DRI officials found saffron of Iranian concealed in carbon sheets containing dress materials/food stuffs etc.

The DRI officers have registered a case against the accused for bringing in saffron as an undeclared consignment. Further investigation is under progress.

Sources in DRI said that while saffron per se is not placed on the list of items that can be imported, the person bringing it in should declare it while checking out. The crackdown on Iranian saffron is mainly to protect the interests of saffron growers in Jammu and Kashmir and Ludhiana in Punjab. Saffron unlike other contraband goods is easy to bring in undetected and the profit margins involved in its trading is very high, sources stated.

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Mangaluru police issue alert over fake traffic fine payment Apps and links

coastaldigest.com news network

December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has issued a high-alert warning to vehicle owners regarding a surge in cyber fraud targeting those looking to pay traffic violation fines. Fraudsters are reportedly exploiting recent government discount schemes on traffic penalties to deceive citizens.

The Scam: How Fraudsters Strike

Criminals are using SMS, WhatsApp, and social media to circulate suspicious links and APK files (Android application packages). They claim these apps allow users to pay e-challans at a discount.

• Device Hacking: Downloading these unauthorized apps gives hackers full access to the victim's smartphone.

• Financial Theft: Once the phone is compromised, fraudsters intercept OTPs and personal data to drain bank accounts.

• Phishing Sites: Fake websites mimicking official portals are also being used to harvest banking credentials.

Already, two residents within Mangaluru city limits have reported significant financial losses after falling victim to these fraudulent apps.

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