NEW DELHI: Based on specific intelligence that an air cargo consignment declared to contain 330 trolley bags, imported from Entebbe, Uganda, at Delhi Air Cargo Complex, IGI Airport, New Delhi, would have narcotic drugs concealed therein, the DRI sleuths examined the said consignment on May 9 and 10, 2022. On examination, 54.07 kg of off-white powder, ingeniously concealed inside the hollow metal tubes of 126 trolley bags, was detected. On random testing of the off-white powder on Field Drug Testing Kit, it tested for Heroin.
A swift follow-up operation in Punjab and Haryana led to further recovery of 6.72 kg of heroin. In total, 60.79 kg of heroin valued at Rs 425.54 crore and Rs 48,17,300/in cash were seized under the NDPS Act, 1985. The importer and two other concerned persons were arrested.
This is not an isolated case. Amidst drug manufacturing pockets like Afghanistan reaping bumper opium harvest in last four years, India along with other countries in the world is witnessing an all-time high of heroin smuggling.
According to sources in the DRI, there has been a steep rise in smuggling of the heroin and opium derivatives over the last few years. The seizure of banned drug heroin has increased exponentially over the last four years, specially after the world unlocked after COVID-19.
According to the available data while the seizure amount stood at 237 kg in 2019, in 2022, 14,967 kg of heroin has already been seized till September 2022. The production of Opium, from which heroin is derived, grew seven per cent worldwide between 2020 and 2021 to 7,930 tons – predominantly due to an increase in production in Afghanistan according to UN Office of Drugs and Crime.
As a result of which the illegal trade of psychotropic substance from these pockets started getting pushed worldwide and especially into India from Afghanistan. After the world opened up post the lockdown, there was tremendous spike in the seizures.
Earlier this year, around March, intelligence inputs indicated that a consignment declared to contain 904 cartons of “Apple Sun Top Juice” and 944 cartons of “Pomegranate Sun Top Juice” of Afghanistan origin, being imported through Bandar Abbas Port (Iran), at ICD Tughalkabad, would have undeclared contraband concealed in it. On this tip off, DRI official got alert and conducted a surprise check on the consignment on March 8, 2022.
During the examination, it was observed that each juice carton contained 12 bottles of 1 liter each. On visual inspection, 24 juice bottles in two cartons of Apple Juice, appeared to have whitish sediments mixed with Juice. The contents of some such bottles, when tested with the aid of the Drug Testing Kit, tested positive for heroin. A total of 24 liters of juice, containing heroin, was recovered.
After the world opened up post the lockdown, there was tremendous spike in the seizures which indicated desperate attempts by the international cartels to push in huge quantities of drugs using limited surveillance amidst less staff as an opportunity, revenue intelligence sources said.
During 2021-22, 36 NDPS substance seizures were made by DRI through air route i.e. through passengers or courier. The total quantity involved in these 36 cases was 1274.65 kg. The number of seizures by DRI during 2021-22 through maritime route was four and the quantity involved was 3389.45 kg. Out of the 3389.45kg, 2988 kg of heroin seized by DRI at Mundra Port was one of the largest ever seizures made so far in the world.
While most of the consignments seized, that came through sea route were loaded from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran, the country of origin of these Heroin was primarily, Afghanistan though some originated from Iran and Panama. The consignment. All the major consignments landed at from ICT Tughlakabad, Tuticorin, Mundra, Nava Sheva.
