DRI seizes 218 packets of high-grade heroin off Lakshadweep Islands coast

In a massive development, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 218 packets of 1 kg each of high-gre heroin at off coast of Lakshweep Islands on Friday. According to ANI, an operation was launched by DRI after it developed specific intelligence over a period of several months that two Indian boats would be sailing from coast of Tamil Nu and receive narcotics in huge quantities somewhere in Arabian sea, during second/third week of May 2022.

Upon receiving information, a joint operation of DRI with Indian Coast Guard, codenamed 'Operation Khojbeen', was launched on 7 May 2022. DRI informed that after several days of continuous search and monitoring amidst very rough seas, two suspected boats 'Prince' and 'Little Jesus' were noticed moving towards India. 

It ded that both Indian boats were intercepted by officers of ICG and DRI on May 18, off coast of Lakshweep Islands. During interrogation, several crew members confessed that y h received heroin in huge quantity on high sea and concealed it in both boats. A thorough search of both boats was carried out at Coast Guard District hequarters at Kochi, and 218 packets of 1 kg each of heroin were recovered. seizure proceedings under provisions of NDPS Act,1985 are currently being undertaken by DRI. 

ANI quoted DRI as saying that operation was meticulously planned and executed by m & ICG and entailed extensive surveillance in rough seas over a period of several days. seized drug appears to be high-gre heroin and its value in international illicit market is estimated to be around Rs.1,526 crore.

DRI seizes foreign cigarettes from Gujarat's Mundra Port

Earlier, on May 7, three people, including  managing director of a shipping company, were arrested by DRI in connection with illegal import of foreign brand filtered cigarettes having a market value of around Rs 17 crore. agency official informed in a statement that  Ahmedab zonal unit of DRI h on April 1 seized a container at Mundra port in Gujarat's Kutch district with 84 lakh sticks of smuggled foreign brand filtered cigarettes named 'BBM pride filter kings'.