JOIN USWorth of 3000 kg heroin seized at Mundra port could go up to Rs 21,000 crore
In what appears to be one of the largest seizures of narcotics substances in the country, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has recovered nearly 3,000 kg of heroin consignment at Mundra port in Kutch district. The international value of the contraband is considered to up to Rs 21,000 crore. By Tuesday morning, DRI is said to have arrested four persons including a couple from Andhra Pradesh and two Afghan nationals.
"Specific Intelligence was developed by DRI that a consignment imported by M/s Aashi Trading Company, Vijaywada declared as semi-processed Talc stones originating from Afghanistan and shipped from Bandar Abbas Port, Iran to Mundra Port, Gujarat is suspected to contain Narcotics drugs,'' a statement released by the DRI said.
Based on the information, the DRI officials seized two containers weighing 40 tonnes for examination. The note stated that an examination conducted in the presence of experts from Forensic Science Lab, Gandhinagar confirmed the substance as heroin. "Accordingly, 1999.579 kgs recovered from the first container and 988.64 Kgs recovered from the second container totalling 2988.219 Kgs were seized under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985," the note stated.
The statement also said that searches were conducted in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham, and Mandvi in Gujarat.
As DH had reported on September 15, the consignment was exported by a firm identified as 'Hasan Husaai Ltd', located in General Sarak, Kandahar in Afghanistan. The Vijayawada-based importer has been identified as Aashi Trading Company, belonging to Vaishali and her husband Govindaraju. DRI officials said the husband and wife are originally from Chennai but had their export-import firm registered at Vijayawada. The duo was arrested by the DRI and was produced before a Bhuj court. They are granted DRI custody for ten days for questioning.