This has come to the light in the recent nationwide raids carried out by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the textile firms in connection with the Rs 1,500 crore worth of fake billing scam under the duty drawback scheme in the last one week.

Official sources said that raids were carried out at different ports across the country and 82 containers were apprehended by the DRI sleuths for checking. Majority of the containers were loaded with scrap and textile waste.

A total of 60 textile firms located in Surat, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai are involved in the fake billing scam.

Sources said that about 30 textile firms operating from the wholesale market at Ring Road are involved in the fake billing scam. Raids were conducted at the textile shops and that the DRI sleuths are believed to have seized documents and other material to establish the fake billing scam.

An officer on condition of anonymity said, “While many textile firms took benefit under the duty drawback scheme by showing export on papers, others were exporting scrap and textile waste to earn 19% rebate on the export. This was revealed after a few containers were checked at the Tughlaqabad inland container depot where the DRI officials found scrap and waste loaded in the containers.”

He added, “The DRI has asked the customs department to furnish details including the documents submitted for the export of the goods and the export bills. The department has imposed export and import ban on such companies involved in the scam”