Guwahati News Desk: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), acting on an intelligence input, has seized nearly 3,000 kg of heroin from Afghanistan at the Mundra Port, located in coastal Gujarat’s Kutch district.
The two consignments of heroin were seized on September 15, and the initial investigation estimated its street value at Rs 3,500 crore. However, it was only after six days, that it was found to be worth around Rs 20,000 crore.
The containers loaded with Afghan heroin were shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran, and were reportedly imported by a Vijayawada-based entity.
As per the sources, one of the seized containers was loaded with 1,999.58 kg of heroin, and another contained 988.64 kg.
The substance recovered from the containers was examined in the presence of experts from Forensics Science Lab, Gandhinagar. In the tests conducted by FSL, the presence of heroin was confirmed.
Regarding the arrests, five people, including a couple in Chennai were arrested, and the others were held in Mumbai.
As mentioned above, the DRI arrested the Chennai-based couple, Govindaraju Durgapurn Vaishali and her husband Machhavaram Sudhakar, who had allegedly imported these containers through Aashi Trading Company, claiming that “they were importing talcum powder.”
In addition, the arrests were made under provisions of the stringent Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act, 1985. The accused have been sent to a 10-day judicial custody by a court in Gujarat’s Bhuj.
Moreover, searches were also conducted in Ahmedabad, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat, and also in Delhi and Chennai.