Philip D''Souza, Kumta, Karnataka

It is very much disgusting to know the arrest of these two innocent passengers, while carrying Saffron, which is purely a consumable commodity. They might have brought for marketing during the celebration of Eid. Why DRI have to a make big issue of out it, and giving its estimated value as Rs. 36 lacs. Do DRI honest and sincere with those who do smuggling of arms, ammunition, gold, etc. I hope these passengers must have not agreed to give bribe to them, as they feel that this is an edible item. It is better to release them and the saffron, where there is wisdom in it and those passengers can celebrate the Eid with their families!

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Philip, Kumta, Karnataka

It is very much disgusting to know the arrest of these two innocent passengers, while carrying Saffron, which is purely a consumable commodity. They might have brought for marketing during the celebration of Eid. Why DRI have to a make big issue of out it, and giving its estimated value as Rs. 36 lacs. Do DRI honest and sincere with those who do smuggling of arms, ammunition, gold, etc. I hope these passengers must have not agreed to give bribe to them, as they feel that this is an edible item. It is better to release them and the saffron, where there is wisdom in it and those passengers can celebrate the Eid with their families!

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Savitha, mangalore

Without knowing the truth how can u pass such comments?These people were neither caught by Customs nor by any Airport authority. But they were arrested by DRI,a premiere intelligence agency of the central govt. DRI Officers do not indulge in corruption.

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Purushottama, Byndoor

Does it mean that they did not go well with Saffron?

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shahnawaz kukkikatte, dubai/udupi

Its not a banned substance. Its a dutieable item if exceeds permitted quantity. Ask the carriers to pay the duty and let them go free. Not a big issue. Please get hold of big sharks who bring contrabanned items, smuggle gold and fake currencies with the help of top bureaucrats. We always see double standards and different yard sticks to different cases... This is sad part of real stories.....

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Rahul,

I think these people refused to bribe them enough that''s why they caught them. Guys take enough money while coming back from dubai. Our Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyberabad airports are very bad and corrupted. now bajpe too. I am sure they refused to pay them anything and caught. Now what our legal system will do with this rich saffron. NOTHING.

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Rajesh, Bangalore

I can''t understand why all these comments and for what, while the article says two arrested and seized saffron worth Rs 36 lacs,most of the comment is based on the properties and use of saffron which is not asked for.

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Ruchir Agarwal, mangalore

Mangalore customs have proved thier worth in their honesty and sincerity. 3 cheers to them. Now what will happen to that Safron? can anyone tell us

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Anil Moras, Mangalore, India

Thanks for the clarification guys! So it is not a banned or illigal item like drugs but quantity matters as "avoiding from taxes".

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Anil, Dubai/Mangalore

Dear Custom Department, Well done! It is happy to hear from Daijiworld that, you are doing good job by seizing such big deal definitely they are trying to avoid taxes by routing this way. My humble request you all that, please seize such big sharks not those who genuinely earn money by their hard work and purchase things for their family, whatever it is….. cloths or piece of gold, just show your humanity, just analyze whether the travelers are genuine or not. Please god sake show your humanity for genuine travelers. On behalf of genuine travelers.

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Jerry, Mumbai

Saffron is highly in demand in India specially in festive seasons, like Dipawali and Dassera, since it is mainly used in sweets. At present the rate of saffron is increasing wolrdwide due to its demand. Iran and Kasmir produces one of the best saffron in the world. In India the rate of Saffron is Rs. 2 lakh per KG whereas in Iran it is almost half the rate than India or less than that depends on the quality. These two smugglers would have easlily made 18 lakhs profit selling this in the local market. Bad luck!!!

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suhail , Mangalore

Saffron has a great demand and value in India, this guys get good saffron from Dubai and do adulteration and sell it in the market, just like petrol with kerosene, Haldi, turmeric is also known as Indian saffron, mainly used in Biryanis, badam drinks, and widely used in rasmalai, saffron lassi, saffron sweets in north, coz saffron give good skin texture and color, saffron is also known as rich man’s grass (meadow). Uppala, kasargod and few cities near that is famous for all this kind smuggling, piracy and fake currency, certificates and other activities.

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Kishore, Udupi/Dubai

THANKS FOR THE ANSWERS.

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Melwyn, Vogga- Mangalore

Thanks MR.Roy and S.J.Q for meaningful information. Through this daiji sounds to be a good platform to share and get the knowledge .. keep the good work going all the readers of Daiji. Thanks Daiji giving information about Saffron which I have never heard before.

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Richard D'' Souza, Mangalore/Bahrain

Mr. Harriet D'' Souza, good question!!.Longing to know the answers.I think that Saffron is not a banned item.So they have to charge them only for extra worth goods.

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Madhu, Kundapura

Its sad to see people carrying Saffron getting arrested with Saffron Brigade at the State Government.

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Farooque M.B., Jubail, K.S.A

Saffron threads, red coloured stigmas. The world''s most expensive spice by weight.saffron consists of stigmas plucked from the saffron crocus.Iran is the world''s largest producer of saffron, accounting for over half the total harvest.

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Lancelot N Tauro, Mangalore/Doha Qatar

Dear one, Iranian Saffron its expensive very good for mixing in making sweets & milk, but I am sure its not a DRUG or banned substance.

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Roy D''Souza, Bangalore/ Dubai

Saffron is an extract from a flower and is used for making sweets and other medicinal purposes. It is grown in India in Kashmir as well and the price varies from $1 to $5 per gram depending on the quality The baggage allowance for passengers travelling to India is specified in this website. http://www.cbec.gov.in/customs/cs-act/formatted-htmls/cs-rulef.htm. If the baggage value exceeds this value, they need to get this assessed and import the same after paying the duty as applicable. Trust this helps

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S.J.Q, Mangalore

Saffron, botanical name crocus sativus, is the most expensive spice in the world. Derived from the dried stigmas of the purple saffron crocus, it takes anything from 70,000 to 250,000 flowers to make one pound of saffron. Moreover, the flowers have to be individually hand-picked in the autumn when fully open. Fortunately, only a little needs to be added to a dish to lend it colour and aroma too much makes the food bitter .

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Rajesh, Mangalore/Dubai

I think these two are refused to give the said bribe to concerned officers. We know the Bajpe Airport.They are waiting for International currency from Foreigners

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Santhosh Bangera, Mangalore

Saffron means Kesar.Its used to drink along with milk.Mostly pregnant womens using this.This small information only i have.But i dont think the quantity showed is worth Rs.36 lakh. Expecting some more information from others.

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Clifford, Mangalore

Hi Harriet, All these items are stored in Food Corporation of India warehouses, because that is only place in the world, were there is no pest control forever.

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Anil Mendonca, Mangalore

Chetan, As per my knowledge you can bring material worth of 25,000.00Rs as per the law when you travel back to India from any destination, but this people have brought goods worth of 3600000.00 without diclaring to customs.

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J P Nayak, Muscat

Chetan/ Anil Safron is grown in farms, used for adding fragrance and colour for sweets. You can surf through website wikipedia.org for more info. Carrying safron while returning from abroad on small quanity may not be illegal. However as per custom norms in India one have to the value of goods imported while returning from abroad trip and allowed to carry goods worth Rs 25,000 without paying the tax. Hence people who voilate the law in such large scale must be trated as smugglers.

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Raj, Mangalore/ Dubai

Iran produces 96% of the World''s Saffron and has the highest quality and density in Persian (Farsi) ''The use of it ought to be moderate and reasonable, for when the dose is too large, it produces a heaviness of the head and sleepiness. Some have fallen into an immoderate convulsive laughter which ended in death.'' For more info: http://www.farsinet.com/saffron/

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Ronnie, Kinnigoli

Is this substance banned or there is a limit per passenger? What is main use of this substance? Is it also known as Kesar?? I know it is used in Biriyani preparation as a fragrancing/colouring agent for the basmati rice and perhaps as colouring agent in some of the sweet dishes like kesar falooda, kheer etc. Kesar is not cheap in Dubai either and I do not know at what rate it is being sold in India. Why these guys are carrying 18 KG of it??

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c ferrer, mangalore

I do not know the answer bet here is my personal experience.Our ship was in an Indian port when it was raided by the authorities claiming contraband on board. After 3 days of searching they found 18 kgs of opaque coloured beads in the engine room which they alleged were "pearls"- the ship was held up for a further 3 days waiting for the insurance co to come up with bank security ( each day in port costed the company about 5 lakhs)- we had returned from Japan.

Out of these packets a few beads have fallen out and were found by the crew under the furniture in the room they were stored by the authorities before they were taken ashore after inquiries, panchanamas etc etc. Well roll on till the Court case came along 3 years later and the undersigned was called as a witness. Imagine my shock to hear the following

1. The weight taken on the ship was wrong as the scale must have been defective- by 2.4 kgs out of 18 kgs???? ( only 15.6 kgs of the beads could be produced.

2.The professional who conducted an analysis report on the beads stated that they were not pearls but chemically produced beads??? Value of each kg of the beads not above 1000/-.

 3.As a witness I looked at the exhibit and shock of shock they were different from what was found on the ship. I sheepishly asked if I could keep one of the beads as I had been put to a lot of trouble, inconvenience etc to come for this "trial" but it was refused not by the judge but by the seizing authorities.

4. The case was thrown out by the judge no costs were granted to the shipping company that had lost more than 25 lakhs because the "beads too were smuggled in"??? 5.Case over- incident does not end. Met the steward who had found the few "beads" under the furniture and he told me that he had sold the 9 beads he had found to a jeweller as they were "unpolished natural pearls"( and celebrated with his friends at the closest tavern). LEAVE IT TO YOU TO GET YOUR ANSWERS FROM THE CUSTOMS, USING THE NOW AVAILABLE "RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 2005". (it was not there at the time of the incident).

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Rajesh Kumar,

5gm of safron in retail costs about 30 dhs in dubai.This varies from 30 to 70 dhs as once I have bought it from carrefour in Dubai. Good quality of saffron cost more than 100 dhs also(I mean 5gms).This means 1000gms worth 6000 dhs. Approximately Rs78,000. In india 1 kg of saffron worth more than 1 lac Rs. Saffron is being imported in India from other counties. If anyone brings more than personal use it will considered as illegal.

I have bought about 200gms once. But nobody objected.

For Mr. Anil Moras, Saffron is an edible thing. it gives very good smell to the sweets and other dishes of simlar kind. There is a belief, preganant woman should drink milk with saffron so that would be child will have glowing complexion( recently this has been proved as myth, but none has stopped this practice). This is the one area saffron has very good demand.

Now 2nd question is Why Iran is always mentioned? Iran is the largest producers of Saffron and compared to other countires like Argentina, France it is much cheaper. If you buy directly from Iran the cost will come down 25% of what we sell in India. If you buy this Iranian saffron from Dubai on wholesale basis atleast you can get it for 50% of the cost. ( Near Bur Dubai abra there are some Iranian sweet vendors who sell this on retail as well as wholesale basis ,opposite side of HSBC bank). Hope these informations are sufficient for my friend Mr. Chetan ( Mr. Chetan,I guess you''ve realised saffron is worth more than gold and diamond, see the margin ) Regards Rajesh

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Chetan, Mangalore

Can someone tell me: 1) why Iranian Saffron is being used in these cases? Why not diamonds or gold? 2)What''s the limit for travellers? WHy are these two caught? 3)What happens once these packets of saffron are being brought into India? Is it smuggled out again OR sold in open market? Sorry for all these basic questions. I am just curious! :)

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Anil Moras, Mangalore

Excuse my poor knowledge! Can someone let me know what is this item. What is saffron, why it is banned... is it illegal

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Harriet D''Souza, Bajpe / Bahrain

Thanks to daijiworld for bringing this to public knowledge. but can daijiworld or anyone else let us know where does the seized saffron finally go to. In fact where does all the seized goods finally go? what is been done with these goods??

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