New Delhi [India] : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted searches at multiple locations in connection with 2,998 kilograms (Kg) drugs seizure at Gujarat’s Mundra port that took place in September this year. The searches were conducted in Chennai, Coimbatore and Vijayawada at the premises of the “accused and suspects” involved in the import of semi-processed Talc stones with contraband. During searches, various incriminating documents, articles and other items have been seized. The case relates to the involvement of foreign persons in the procurement and delivery of the 2,998 kg drug consignment worth approximately Rs 21,000 crore. The narcotics drugs were found concealed in import consignment of ‘semi-processed Talc stones’ originating from Afghanistan which had arrived from Bandar Abbas Port in Iran. The anti-terror agency took over the investigation of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday in pursuance of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order. The DRI registered the case on September 13 this year under section various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), section 8 (C), 23 of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and section 17, 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 against Chennai-based entrepreneurs Machavaram Sudhakaran, Durga PV Govindaraju, Rajkumar P and others. A total of eight people – four Afghan, one Uzbek and three Indian persons – have been arrested in the case, the Ministry of Finance had said on September 22.
