In a joint operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) along with Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad have recovered Rs 1,439-crore worth of 205.6 kg heroin from a container station near Kandla port in Gujarat's Kutch district. An importer has been arrested in connection with the case, reported news agency PTI.
The consignment, encompassing 17 containers or 10,318 bags of 'gypsum powder', reportedly arrived at the Gujarat port last year from Bander Abbas port in Iran, said ANI.
"During the investigation, the importer was not found at the registered address in Uttarakhand. Accordingly, a manhunt was launched across the country to nab the importer. DRI conducted searches at various locations across India to locate the importer. The importer was changing locations and hiding to evade identification," a DRI officer told ANI.
"However, persistent and vigorous efforts yielded results and the importer was located in a small village in Punjab. The importer tried to resist and flee, but he was nabbed by the DRI officers," the officer added.
"So far, 205.6 kg of heroin, valued at Rs 1,439 crore in the illicit market, has been recovered. A detailed examination of the consignment is still going on at the port," the DRI informed.
Previous Busts at Gujarat Ports
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad, on 21 April, had declared a recovery of around 200 kg heroin worth Rs 1,300 crore from a container station near Kandla port.
In September last year, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized a huge consignment of close to 3,000 kg of heroin, worth over Rs 21,000 crore from Gujarat's Mundra port.
During investigation it was established that the smuggling of narcotics into India was carried out earlier as well by the same set of accused people linked with terror groups based in Pakistan. These included the offences registered by DRI Delhi zonal unit wherein more than 16 kg of heroin was seized from a warehouse in Delhi.
In another case, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), in a joint operation, seized 77 kg of heroin worth around Rs 400 crore from a Pakistani fishing boat off the Gujarat coast in December last year.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)
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