Another consignment of talc stones cleared Mundra port in June last year: MHA

Investigation into the Mundra port drug seizure by NIA has revealed that another consignment containing semi-processed talc tones was cleared through the port back in June, 2021.

New Delhi: A thorough investigation into the Mundra port drug seizure case by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has revealed that another such consignment of semi-processed talc stones was cleared through Mundra port during June 2021.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that the Directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI) has seized 2988.21 kgs of narcotic substances (Heroin) between September 17 and 19 last year at TG Terminal Private Limited container freight station at Mundra port in Gujarat.

The NIA has taken up an investigation of the aforesaid case registered to vide RC-26/2021/NIA/DLI on October 10.

"Investigation of the said case revealed that another such consignment of semi-processed talc stones was cleared through Mundra port during June last year and the case registered by DRI Delhi zonal unit has been subsumed in the NIA case number RC-26/2021/NIA/DLI," Rai said.

It may be mentioned here that NIA has already arrested 10 people in connection to the Mundra case including five Afghan nationals and an Uzbek woman.

The 2988.21 kgs of narcotic substances were first intercepted by the DRI in September on specific intelligence inputs that high-quality heroin was being smuggled into two containers from Afghanistan to Gujarat's Mundra port via Iran's Bandar Abbas port.

Following the seizure of the containers, samples were tested under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) and subsequently it was confirmed by the Gandhinagar-based forensic science laboratory that it was heroin.

Meanwhile, referring to the amendments in criminal laws, Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said that amendments in criminal laws are a continuous process to make the laws in accordance with the contemporary needs and aspirations of the people.

"Government of India has initiated the process for comprehensive amendments to criminal laws in consultation with all the stakeholders," Mishra said.