Ahmedabad : A routine campaign to clear unclaimed parcels at the Foreign Post Office (FPO) in Shahibaug has led to a shocking discovery of narcotics, pornographic material, and sex toys, exposing an alarming trend in smuggling activities. Over 500 parcels, left abandoned without sender details, were uncovered by Customs officials, raising serious concerns about illicit trafficking networks operating through postal services.
As officers began the disposal process, they were met with an unexpected and disturbing reality. A senior Customs official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the moment of discovery: “At first, it seemed like a routine clearance, but as we started opening these packages, we found drugs, explicit material, and contraband that should never have made it past international borders. The lack of sender or recipient information indicates a deliberate effort to evade law enforcement.”
The Customs Department has made it clear that strict legal action will be taken. In an official statement, authorities confirmed that parcels containing narcotics will be prosecuted under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, while those containing pornographic material and sex toys will also lead to criminal cases under relevant sections of the law. The incident has once again highlighted Gujarat’s surprising position as a hub for smuggled sex toys, with the state accounting for 40 percent of all such seizures in India.
The figures paint a stark picture. Reports indicate that Customs officials seized 165 sex toys in 2022, a number that rose sharply to 270 in 2023. In 2024, despite intensified crackdowns, 165 sex toys have already been confiscated. The majority of these contraband items originate from the United States, with nearly 90 percent of the seized sex toys traced back to American suppliers, while the remaining 10 percent come from the United Kingdom.
Despite an increasing demand in India, the import of sex toys remains illegal under the Customs Act, which bans the sale and distribution of “obscene materials.” Smugglers have found creative ways to bypass restrictions, often disguising these items as generic goods or personal effects in an attempt to slip through Customs scrutiny.
A senior enforcement officer acknowledged the challenge in tackling this hidden trade. “These repeated seizures point to a much larger underground market. There is clearly an organized smuggling network that needs to be dismantled. We are intensifying our surveillance and taking steps to track the origins of these shipments and their intended recipients,” he stated.
