Ahmedabad: In a joint operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad(ATS) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have recovered nearly 90 kilogram of heroin worth Rs 450 crore from a shipping container that arrived at the Pipavav port in Amreli district from Iran, the state DGP said on Friday.
To dodge the authorities, the drug syndicate had applied a unique modus operandi in which threads were soaked in a solution containing heroin, which were then dried, made into bales and packed in bags for export, said Gujarat Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia.
"The container, having large bags of threads, arrived at the Pipavav port from Iran nearly five months back. A forensic analysis of four suspicious bags having threads weighing nearly 395 kg revealed that the threads contained opiate derivative or heroin. In all, we found nearly 90 kg of heroin worth Rs 450 crore from those threads," Bhatia told reporters in Gandhinagar.
In a release, the DRI said these bags having heroin-soaked threads were shipped along with other bags having bales of normal threads to avoid detection by the authorities.
"The modus operandi in this case would have required the extraction of heroin mixed in the threads. Examination and seizure proceedings by the DRI under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 are underway," said the release.
In 2021, substantial seizures of drugs like heroin, cocaine, hashish and psychotropic substances were made by the DRI. More than 3,300 kg of heroin, 320 kg of cocaine and 230 kg of hashish were seized between January and December 2021. In addition, 170 kg of pseudoephedrine and 67 kg of methamphetamine were seized during this period, said the statement.
"More than 3,300 kg of heroin, 320 kg of Cocaine and 230 kg of Hashish were seized between January and December 2021. In addition, 170 kg of Pseudoephedrine and 67 kg of Methamphetamine were seized during this period," the ministry said.
DRI had seized 205 kg of heroin in April 2022 at Kandla Port.
The ministry further said that with the easing of restrictions and opening of International Air travel after the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic were lifted, the numbers of air passengers arriving into India have increased.
In the last two months, DRI has booked multiple cases of seizure of heroin concealed in baggage and in the form of pills swallowed by carriers. In one such major case, DRI seized 16 kg of Heroin in March 2022 concealed in the baggage of three passengers, who had arrived at the Kolkata airport, the statement said.
Syndicates have also tried to push narcotics like yaba and heroin from the Indo-Myanmar border and Hashish from the Indo-Nepal border, into India through the land borders.
"DRI officers have also intercepted such consignments from these borders, sometimes ingeniously concealed inside vehicles. DRI in one instance in February 2022 seized one Lakh Yaba (Methamphetamine) tablets and affected multiple seizures of Heroin in North-East India, smuggled into India from Myanmar," the statement added.
