Drug Runners' Dry Run at Mundra Port in June Before September Bust Helped DRI Identify Runners, Payment: Report

Before attempting the final smuggle of drugs on September 15, the organisers did a dry run on the Kutch port on June 9.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the DRI, working on the leads provided by the June 9 dry run, was able to identify the drug runners, mode of payments and principals behind the Mundra port seizure with the help of central agencies like IB, RA&W and NIA.

ALSO READ | DRI Seizes Drugs Worth Rs 2,000 Crore from Mundra Port

News18 earlier reported that the DRI have arrested two Afghan nationals after nearly 3,000 kg of heroin from Afghanistan was seized at the Mundra Port, located in coastal Gujarat’s Kutch district.

“They have been a part of Afghanistan-Pakistan drug nexus for some time now. Besides the duo, one more person is involved, who handled all export and import. This person had also booked the container,? sources told CNN News18 on Thursday, adding that the third accused left India for Afghanistan in June this year.

DRI sources had earlier told News18 that the two consignments of heroin, a banned narcotic substance, were seized on September 15. An initial investigation estimated its street value at Rs 3,500 crore. Six days later, it was found to be worth around Rs 20,000 crore, they said.

The containers loaded with Afghan heroin were shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran, and were reportedly imported by a Vijayawada-based entity — Aashi Trading Company, the agency said in a statement. One of the seized containers was loaded with 1,999.58 kg of heroin, and another contained 988.64 kg, it added.

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.

Sources further told News18 that earlier Punjab police had arrested one person with 17 kg of banned narcotic substance. “This arrest was also their module. The arrested quo claimed that they didn’t know the final destination but their role is more or less restricted to procurement and logistics.?

Afghanistan is one of the biggest exporters of narcotic drugs, and, as per estimates, it accounts for nearly 85 percent of global heroin supplies, according to report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Following the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, it was feared that the illicit drug trade may expand, and the country may emerge as the world’s biggest narco-state.

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