Gujarat’s Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), in a joint operation with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), has seized around 260 kg of heroin worth ₹1,500 crore at the Kandla port in Kutch district of Gujarat.
The consignment was seized after a specific intelligence the ATS had received and shared with the DRI. The ATS and the DRI jointly recovered the drugs from a container at the Kandla port. The containers were reportedly originated from Afghanistan via Iran.
Officials of the both agencies believe that other containers may also be loaded with drugs and started scanning them.
Preferred route
It may be noted that in recent years, the Gujarat coast has become a preferred route for smuggling high quality heroin meant for domestic consumption and for smuggling into other international markets.
Earlier in February this year, in a joint operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Navy had seized around 750 kg of drugs from a ship off the Gujarat coast.
Also, in September last year, in the country’s biggest drug haul, three tonnes of drugs worth ₹21,000 crore were confiscated from containers at the Mundra port. The consignment had originated from Afghanistan.
After the seizure, the National Investigation Agency was handed over the probe to look at terror financing through drug smuggling.
Since 2017, various agencies such as the ATS, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the NCB and the DRI have seized drug cargos worth over ₹30,000 crore from the Gujarat coast.
