The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will contact the authorities in Iran to gather information in connection with the 3,000-kg heroin seizure by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Mundra port in Gujarat this September.
“The NIA has received all the documents from the DRI for further probe into the links of those involved in the case. In due course, we will also seek necessary information from the Iranian authorities,” said an official. Six Afghan nationals, an Uzbek woman and three Indian nationals were earlier arrested by the DRI from different places.
As it turned out, the contraband was packed in Afghanistan and sent by a Kandahar-based company, Hassan Hussain Limited, in the guise of a consignment of semi-processed talc stones being imported by Aashi Trading Company in Vijayawada. It was shipped from the Bandar Abbas port in Iran.
Based on the findings, the agencies suspect that the consignment was transported from Afghanistan to Iran by land route, and the drug traffickers roped in some middlemen in Iran to get the documents prepared for cargo shipping. They may get information from the Iranian authorities on those who booked the consignment at the Bandar Abbas port.
After taking over the case, the NIA has conducted searches at multiple locations in Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, Alipur, Khera Kalan, Nebsarai and neighbouring Noida. The premises included a warehouse from where the agency seized some white powdery substance, suspected to be talc mixed with narcotics, on October 20. The samples were sent for chemical examination.
The seized consignment was meant to be transported from Mundra to Delhi for further distribution.
