NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at five locations in Delhi-NCR in connection with the drug seizure case at Gujarat’s Mundra port where about 3,000 kg of heroin was seized.
The searches were carried out at residential premises and godowns at Lajpat Nagar, Alipur, Khera Kalan in New Delhi district and Noida.
The agency said, “Various incriminating documents, articles and items were seized.”
The raids have come on the heels of the October 9 multi-city searches where the NIA raided multiple locations in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, at the premises of the accused who is said to be involved in the import of semi-processed talc stones with contraband.
A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been registered after the drug bust. On September 12, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 2,988.21 kg (almost 3 tonnes) of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore from two containers at the Mundra port.
Reportedly, the heroin was imported by a trading company registered in Vijayawada and was declared as ‘semi-processed talc stones originating from Afghanistan to be shipped from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran to Mundra Port.
Post the drug haul, Adani Ports released a trade advisory that it will no longer accept containerized cargo from Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.