Customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Navi Mumbai Nhava Sheva port on Saturday seized 191 kilograms of heroin, roughly worth Rs 1,000 crore, that was being Smuggled in long plastic pipes painted like bamboo sticks.
The contraband was presented as ayurvedic medicine to smoothen the transportation process and reached the Maharashtra port from Afghanistan.
The smuggled drugs were seized after a Customs official’s tip-off to the DRI. The officials of the special intelligence and investigation branch (SIIB) of customs sought help from the DRI, according to a report by Times of India.
It further added that on examination of the consignment, the officials found orange-coloured bags that had been imported by Sarvim Exports. The items inside were labelled Glycyrrhiza glabra extract, or licorice root extract.
“The wooden textured structure was covered by bark, which appeared to be pasted on it artificially. On removing the outer wooden bark and wood dust with the help of a cutter, it was noticed that there was a green coloured plastic pipe and inside this, the cream coloured powder purported to be heroin was found. A test using an NDPS kit confirmed it was heroin,” said the official in the report.
The contraband has been seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act.
Two customs house agents- Meenanatha Bodake of MB Shipping and Logistics Solution and Kondibhau Pandurang Gunjan were arrested for their involvement in the case. The accused were produced before a local court and were remanded in judicial custody.
Ongoing investigations seem to suggest that similar quantities of drugs had been smuggled in the past by the accused. Officials added that this was the largest drug haul in Mumbai.
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