TUMAKURU: Seized narcotics weighing 240 kg and worth around Rs 270 crore in the international market were destroyed by authorities at a Eco Solutions plant at Vasantha Narasapura Industrial hub near Tumakuru on Wednesday. The drugs were reduced to ashes inside a blast furnace at a temperature of 1,800 degrees Celsius.
It took about 90 minutes to destroy the seized haul which included heroin, hashish, MDMA, ganja and pseudoephedrine. The operation was carried out after obtaining permission from courts, official sources informed TNIE. The Bengaluru Customs Zone in collaboration with Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Air Intelligence Unit at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and the Customs Department jointly undertook the burning of drugs seized in a span of two years.
The Bengaluru zone event was part of destruction of 42,000 kg narcotics destroyed at 14 locations across the country on Wednesday as part of Drug Destruction Day observed under ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to mark the 75th year of India’s independence. Former India hockey player and Arjuna awardee V R Raghunath was the chief guest.