4 Afghans among 8 held for Gujarat heroin haul

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 22

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has so far arrested eight persons, including five foreign nationals, in connection with the seizure of around 3,000 kg heroin at Mundra Port in Gujarat, an official release said here on Wednesday.

Those arrested included an Indian couple who allegedly ran the firm that had imported the consignment claiming it to be of “semi-processed talc stones”. The couple — Govindaraju Durga Purna Vaishali and her husband Machavaram Sudhakar — are being interrogated as regards to “bigger players” behind the smuggling of such a huge consignment.

The drug haul is considered to be one of the biggest in the world with the value of the seized heroin estimated to be around Rs 21,000 crore in the international markets.

“Eight persons — four Afghan nationals, one Uzbek and three Indians — have been arrested. The arrested Indian nationals include the holder of the import export code (IEC) that was used to import the consignment. He was arrested from Chennai. Investigations are in progress,” read the statement issued by the Press Information Bureau.

The security and enforcement agencies investigating the case have said the incident has once again fuelled concerns that the sea route is being increasingly used by traffickers for smuggling.

The menace is expected to grow further in view of the fact that the Taliban has taken over the reins of power in Afghanistan.

An official dealing with narco-terrorism said they had information that Vaishali and Sudhakar were taking instructions from some persons based in Afghanistan and Iran. “Their role in drug smuggling in the garb of imports is also being investigated, but they appear to be small players as their commission is very low,” officials said. (with PTI inputs)

Cong for SC-led probe into ‘largest haul ever’

• Terming the drug haul in Gujarat as world’s largest, the Congress has pressed for an SC-monitored probe
• It also demanded a similar probe into allegations of bribery by Amazon officials
• Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said PM Narendra Modi must come clean on both issues

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