Based on inputs provided by the Punjab Police, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Tuesday seized nearly 75 kg of heroin estimated to be worth over Rs 375 crore from a container near Mundra port in Kutch district.
“Punjab police shared specific intelligence regarding the smuggling of heroin from UAE to Punjab. Following which a joint operation was held with ATS Gujarat and central agencies in which 75kg heroin was recovered from a container at Mundra Port in Gujarat,” said Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday.
He said that the contraband was kept concealed in a container of unstitched clothes using a cardboard pipe which was further camouflaged by an oversized plastic pipe. The container, which was loaded from Jebel Ali port in UAE, was booked by an importer from Malerkotla in Punjab.
As per preliminary investigations, the DGP said that as the links of the container have been established with Punjab, this consignment seems to be routed to some other place via Punjab. “Punjab Part is being explored and investigated,” he added.
This recovery comes as a major success amid the ongoing war against drugs launched on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Divulging more details, DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following inputs, the Punjab Police’s State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), SAS Nagar (Mohali), had immediately sent Police teams to Gujarat and deputed them at the Mundra Port.
“In coordination with the central agency and ATS Gujarat, the searches were made at the Mundra Port with the help of customs,” he said, adding that after following due procedure and documentation, the container was opened up which led to the recovery of a big haul of 75 kg heroin.
To ensure transparency and following NDPS Act guidelines, the consignment was opened in the presence of customs officials and magistrate.
To ascertain backward and forward linkages, some suspected persons from Malerkotla and Ludhiana found to be linked with this import of consignment have been called for questioning by the concerned District Police.
Meanwhile, an FIR under sections 8C, 21C, 23C, and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered by ATS Gujarat at Police Station ATS Ahmedabad.
Various state and central agencies have in the recent past seized drugs worth crores of rupees from shipping containers arriving at Gujarat ports from other countries.