In the highest-ever drug seizure in Odisha, the Customs Department on Friday seized 22 kilograms of cocaine valued at over Rs 200 crore crore from a cargo ship in Paradip port, the customs officials said.
This is the first case of seizure of cocaine or any other banned drug substances under NDPS Act in Paradip port. Unlike cannabis and brown sugar which are prepared from opium, cocaine is not produced in India.
Cocaine is produced from Coca plant which is a native species of South America. It is mainly produced in Latin American countries like Colombia, Peru and Bolivia and consumed mainly in the United States of America and Europe.
“Acting on a tip-off that a cargo ship from Indonesia anchored at the Port was carrying drugs, the custom personnel swung into action and seized 22 packets of cocaine hidden in the cargo ship MC Debi. The packets weigh around 22 kilograms. The ship arrived at Paradip from Indonesia’s Gresik port and was scheduled to depart for Denmark carrying steel plates from Odisha,” said Madhab Mishra, Customs Commissioner.
The ship has been detained. All the 22 crewmembers of the ship are now under Customs’ custody and they are being interrogated to ascertain the modus operandi of the drug smuggling.
The packets first looked like explosive devices. The customs sought the help of a bomb squad to scan the packets. But after proper scanning and examination, it was found to be substances banned under NDPS Act, said Customs Commissioner Mishra.
Examination and seizure proceedings are currently under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985. Roles of the crew members in the drug smuggling through port route are also being investigated, added the officer.