DRI seizes heroin at Kandla port, one arrested
Premium- So far, over 205 kg of heroin, valued at ₹1,439 crore in illicit market, has been recovered and a detailed examination of the consignment is underway
NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized a consignment containing heroin at Kandla port and has arrested the importer after a long pursuit, as per an official statement.
DRI officers are currently examining the seized consignment, imported by an Uttarakhand-based firm. The shipment arrived at the port from Bander Abbas port in Iran. The consignment, imported in 17 containers weighed 394 tonnes and was declared as “gypsum powder".
So far, over 205 kg of heroin, valued at ₹1,439 crore in illicit market, has been recovered, the statement said, adding that a detailed examination of the consignment is underway.
During investigation, the importer was not found at the registered address in Uttarakhand. Accordingly, a manhunt was launched across the country and searches were held at various locations across the country, the statement said. “The importer was changing locations and hiding to evade identification. 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 statement said.
The arrest was made under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1985. The importer was produced before a court in Amritsar on Sunday which granted transit remand to enable DRI officers to produce the importer before a court in Bhuj, as per the statement.