The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has recovered 52 kilograms of cocaine, estimated to be valued at over Rs 500 crore in the international illicit market, from an import consignment which had arrived at the Mundra port from Iran.
In the fiscal year 2021-22, during its operations across the country, DRI had seized 321 kg of cocaine, valued at over Rs. 3,200 crore in the international illicit market.
According to the DRI, based on extensive data analysis and field surveillance, intelligence was developed by DRI that certain consignments being imported from Iran were likely to contain narcotic drugs.
To interdict the narcotic drugs, “Op Namkeen” was launched by DRI and a consignment declared to contain 1,000 bags of common salt having a gross weight of 25 metric tonnes, which had been imported at Mundra port from Iran, was identified for detailed examination.
"Acting on the intelligence, the said consignment was examined from Tuesday till Thursday. During the examination, some bags were found to be suspicious, as a substance in powder form having a distinct smell was found in these bags. Samples were drawn from those suspected bags and testing was conducted by officials of the Directorate of Forensic Sciences, Government of Gujarat. The testing confirmed the presence of cocaine in these samples. 52 kilograms of cocaine have been recovered by DRI from the said consignment. Roles of various persons involved in the said import consignment are also being investigated by DRI," the agency officials claimed.
In the last one month, DRI has booked some significant cases, including recoveries of 205 kilograms of heroin from a commercial import consignment of gypsum powder at the Kandla port, 395 kilograms of yarn-laced with heroin at Pipavav port, 62 kilograms of heroin at Air Cargo Complex, IGI New Delhi and 218 kilograms of heroin off the coast of Lakshadweep Islands (in a joint operation with Indian Coast Guard).
In addition, 61.5 kilograms of gold has been seized from Air Cargo Complex, IGI New Delhi, in a novel modus operandi involving concealment of high purity gold in triangle valves of metal taps.
In September 2021, the DRI, in the single largest heroin haul in India to date, had seized around 3,000 kilograms of the drugs, believed to have originated in Afghanistan and worth about Rs 21,000 crore in global markets, from two containers at the Mundra port. The case was later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further investigation.
In March this year, the NIA had filed a charge sheet Against 16 Narco-Traffickers in the said case. The NIA had arrested ten persons, while six Afghan nationals were still wanted in the case
