NEW DELHI/VISAKHAPATNAM: As part of its Operation Garuda, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday detained a shipping container at the Visakhapatnam Port on the suspicion that it had a huge consignment of narcotics.
According to the CBI’s statement, the container was booked from Santos Port, Brazil for delivery at Visakhapatnam, in the name of a Visakhapatnam-based private company, Sandhya Aqua Exports Private Limited.
“The consignee had said that the shipping container carried 1,000 bags of inactive dried yeast of 25 kilograms each, totaling 25,000 kg. During the examination, it was found that the consignment had narcotic substances, suspected to be cocaine, mixed in the yeast,” the CBI said, adding that the quantity of the narcotics is being ascertained.
The CBI carried out the exercise after receiving an input from Interpol and with the help of Customs, officials said. “The whole consignment has been seized and an FIR has been registered against the consignee and others,” a CBI official added.
As per the report, a team headed by Umesh Sharma and CBI DSP Kash Kumar Meena, under the supervision of CBI SP Gaurav Mittal, inspected the shipping container, which the Customs Department had detained.
An FIR was registered based on the special report of CBI Deputy SP Umesh Sharma against Sandhya Aqua Exports Private Limited and others under Sections 29 read with 8, 23, and 38 of NDPS Act, 1985. Representatives of Sandhya Aqua Exports Private Limited were also present along with other witnesses, when the seal of the consignment was opened.
All 1,000 bags examined for drug presence
All the 1,000 bags were examined for the presence of narcotic substances and the test result was positive for cocaine/methaqualone.
Company officials explained that they had imported the product for the first time and were unaware of its composition. The consignment was seized and investigation is on.
The statement released by the probe agency said, “The operation indicates the involvement of an international criminal network engaged in importing narcotics drugs by way of mixing it with other substances commonly known as cutting agents.”
In the past also, based on Interpol inputs, the CBI has conducted Operation Garuda and registered offenses under the NDPS Act in furtherance of its commitment towards fighting the drug menace at an International level, the CBI added.