Drug trafficking increased as soon as the Taliban arrived: Heroin worth 21 thousand crores from Iran was caught in Gujarat, was sent in the name of talcum powder

After the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, a big case of conspiracy to make India a place of the drug trade has come to the fore. The directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 3000 kg heroin from Mundra Port in Kutch, Gujarat. Its price in the international market is being said to be Rs 21 thousand crores.

This is not only the largest seizure of drugs in the country but also the largest consignment of drugs in the world since the Taliban occupation in Afghanistan. According to the DRI, the drug has been seized from two containers. One contains 2,000 kg and the other 1,000 kg heroin. The seized heroin is kept under the control of BSF. The consignment, which departed from Afghanistan, had left for Gujarat on September 13 from Bandar Abbas port in Iran and was to reach Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

Consignment came in the name of Vijayawada company

The heroin seized from Mundra was to be addressed to M/s Ashi Trading Company of Vijayawada. The company's owner M. Sudhakar and his wife Durgapurna, arrested on September 17, are on DRI remand. Aashi Trading Company was registered last year to export rice from Kakinada Port. At this address, a consignment of heroin was ordered in the name of Talcum Stone. However, the company says that the containers in which the heroin was seized were on their way to Chennai. The name of Hassan Hussaini Traders of Kandahar is registered as an exporter. Meanwhile, an Adani Port spokesperson has said that only the competent agencies can check the containers in the port, not the port operating company.

Some Afghan nationals have also been detained from Delhi-NCR in this case. At the same time, searches have also been conducted in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhinagar, and Mandvi. On the other hand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will also investigate money laundering in this case.

The old route of heroin smuggling from Afghanistan to India

From June 6, 2021, to July 19, 18 kg of high-quality heroin worth about 125 crores was caught in India. Now with the arrest of about 3000 kg of heroin, experts' fears have been proved right that after the change of power in Afghanistan, there will be a huge increase in drug smuggling.

In a special discussion with Bhaskar, the world's well-known counter-narcotics expert, Wanda Felbab Brown told that the Taliban themselves are involved in the smuggling of opium and heroin in Afghanistan. To avoid civil war and not getting foreign aid, the Taliban can now increase the drugs trade manifold.

UN experts have also admitted that heroin is now sent from Afghanistan to Australia via India.

Traditionally, heroin from Afghanistan has been coming to India via Punjab, but a consignment up to a maximum of 500 kg has been caught here.

Security agencies were anticipating a large quantity of heroin smuggling through Mundra Port, but such a large seizure has been made for the first time.

In June, the same company from Andhra Pradesh had a consignment of 25 tonnes.

According to a media report, in June this year also, 25 tonnes of semi-cut talcum powder blocks had arrived at the address of the same company in Vijayawada. It was allegedly sent by a truck to a Delhi-based businessman. However, that truck did not pass through any toll on its way from Mundra Port to Delhi. The identity of the Delhi-based businessman to whom it was sent is now being said to be fake. At the same time, Vijayawada Commissioner said that no other connection has been found for the license of the company other than the address here.