Heroin worth ₹879 crore seized at JNPT, 1 held

The contraband, seized on July 1, is one of the major narcotic seizures in the recent times, officials said.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized around 300 kg of heroin worth ₹879 crore, allegedly smuggled from Afghanistan, and arrested one person in this connection at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in neighbouring Raigad district, officials said on July 4.

The contraband, seized on July 1, is one of the major narcotic seizures in the recent times, they said.

The consignment, allegedly smuggled from Afghanistan via Iran, was declared as gypsum stone and talcum powder, an official from the DRI said.

The import export code was in the name of Prabhjot Singh and the consignment was supposed to be sent to Punjab.

Singh was arrested after the seizure of the contraband, the official said, adding that the accused was importing gypsum stone and talcum powder via the JNPT for the last one year.

In August last year, the Mumbai Customs and DRI seized 191 kg of heroin worth around ₹1,000 crore, declared as an ‘ayurvedic medicine’ and also believed to have originated from Afghanistan, from a cargo container at the JNPT, officials earlier said.