With new cases of drug smuggling coming to light each day, it is ascertained that the state coastline – once used for overseas trade of gold, spices, and textiles has now become a hot spot for smuggling narcotic drugs into India from Pakistan, Iran, or Afghanistan.
The Gujarat ATS has intercepted and seized contraband from these same routes. Increased deterrence on Punjab border and cancellation of LoC trade with Pakistan has led to an increase in narcotics smuggling using the Gujarat coastline.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) estimated the value of heroin seized on Sunday, September 19 to be worth Rs 9,000 crore. However, it was later found that the value of the drug smuggled into the country earlier could be more than Rs 70,000 crore.
The probe zeroed in on a company in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, called Aashi Trading Company, according to published reports. As per the documentary evidence, the company had reportedly imported 25 tonnes of goods in June this year, which was taken as a “semi-cut talcum powder block” on record. This poses a serious question on whether Gujarat has any linkage of drug smuggling with a trading company that operates from a small house in Satyanarayanapuram.
Read more: Gujarat Is New Drug Capital Of India
The official signatory of the Aashi Trading Company, Machavarapu Sudhakar was a resident of Chennai and had set up a proprietary firm in the name of his wife Vaishali and obtained a license.
In what might be one of the biggest drug hauls worth Rs 21,000 crores in the country – a court in Bhuj sent the accused couple arrested from Chennai on a 10-day remand after the DRI seized 3,000 kg heroin.
After many investigations being carried out in different states of the country in the case of 3000 kg of heroin seized from Mundra port of Kutch, the couple, who were apprehended from Chennai by the DRI team and court granting a 10-day remand, were taken back to Chennai and Vijayawada on September 22 for further investigation on the matter.
Following this matter, many security agencies have launched multi-crore drug probes in different parts of the country stipulating a strong possibility of a shocking revelation in this matter in the coming days.
