Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

DRI Seizes Heroin Worth More Than ₹38 Crore At The Integrated Check Post In Attari

May 13, 2023
Heroin
Picture for representational purpose. Photo: Wiki Commons

In its endeavor to curb drug trafficking, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) unearthed a novel modus operandi of heroin smuggling into India through the land route at India-Pakistan border. Based on specific intelligence developed and further profiling by DRI officers, a consignment of brooms was intercepted at Integrated Check Post, Attari, Amritsar. On examination, 5.480 kg of recovered heroin valued at ₹38.36 crore in the international market was seized yesterday.

In the consignment of 4,000 pieces of brooms in 40 bags, the heroin was stealthily filled in 442 hollow short pieces/sticks of river cane/bamboo (in 3 bags) with ends of such sticks artificially sealed and such sticks were further concealed/camouflaged by being placed/packed inside “Afghan Brooms” which were tied up with iron wire on the outside.

The cargo consignment of “Afghan Brooms” from Afghanistan was imported by an Afghan National with fake Indian IDs in connivance with his Indian national wife. The said Afghan national was out on bail granted in earlier NDPS case booked by Delhi Police in 2018. Both, the Afghan National and his wife were arrested under NDPS Act, 1985.  Further, follow up action and investigations to unearth the entire conspiracy and smuggling module and to gather evidence are being conducted.

In two separate operations, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 23.34 kg smuggled foreign gold valued at Rs. 14.43 crore through Chennai International Airport and foiled an attempt to smuggle foreign gold into the country.

The operation was conducted on May 8, 2023, the DRI officers developed intelligence that a passenger, who arrived at Chennai international airport from Dubai through Colombo, was carrying huge quantities of foreign-origin smuggled gold and was on his way to his residence in Chennai.

Accordingly, he was intercepted while he was getting down from an auto rickshaw near his residence. Examination of the person led to the recovery of gold in paste form concealed in various knee caps worn by him and in specially made pouches in his pants. After extraction, 13.28 kg of gold totally valued at ₹8.28 crore was recovered and seized.