Customs officials at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport have confiscated 12 iPhone 16 Pro Max smartphones from passengers arriving from Dubai. This incident highlights ongoing efforts to smuggle the newly launched Apple devices into India due to price differences.

What Happened: Customs authorities at Delhi’s IGI Airport seized 12 iPhone 16 Pro Max units from four passengers on an Indigo flight from Dubai. The passengers allegedly attempted to smuggle the premium smartphones into India by concealing them in tissue papers.

Delhi Customs shared the details of the seizure on social media platform X. On the same day, another incident involved a woman arriving from Hong Kong with 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max units hidden in a vanity bag.

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The iPhone 16 Pro Max, which launched globally last month, is priced lower in Dubai and Hong Kong, prompting smuggling attempts. In Dubai, the phone starts at AED 5,099 (approximately ₹1,15,900), compared to ₹1,44,900 in India.

Why It Matters: The smuggling of iPhone 16 Pro Max units into India underscores the significant price disparity between international and domestic markets.

Recently, Zepto, a quick commerce platform, announced the delivery of the iPhone 16 within 10 minutes in major Indian cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Chennai. This service highlights the growing demand and excitement for Apple’s latest offerings in India.

Moreover, Apple’s strategic decision to manufacture the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone Max in India has led to a substantial increase in exports. Apple’s iPhone exports from India have reached $5 billion (around ₹41,985 crore) in the first five months of FY25, marking a 54% increase from the previous year.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo courtesy: Unsplash