NIA takes over Mundra port heroin seizure case

New Delhi: The National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (October 6) took up the investigation into the Mundra port heroin seizure case on the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 2,988.21 kg heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore from two containers at the Mundra port in Gujarat's Kutch district on September 13.

The consignment, disguised as ‘semi-processed talc stones’ had arrived at Mundra Port from Kandhar, Afghanistan via Bandar Abbas, Iran.

Eight persons including three Indians, four Afghans and one Uzbek have been arrested in the case so far.

The DRI had arrested M Sudhakar and his wife Durga Vaishali who allegedly ran Vijayawada-registered Aashi Trading Company which had imported the consignment of ‘talc stones'.

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