Even though the shipment arrived from Iran, sources claimed to have concrete proof that the substances’ origins were in Afghanistan. Sources also informed that had the consignment not been tracked down, it would have headed to a company by the name of Aashi Trading Company in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The kingpin of this drug racket is now actively being hunted down by the intelligence agencies.

This seize comes after the taking over of Afghanistan by the Taliban, who are designated as a global terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council. Taliban has largely relied on the export of illicit substances to try and save Afghanistan’s poor economy. It ranges from opium to hard drugs like heroin.

Law enforcement agencies that deal with the coastal security of India have been put on high alert ever since the Taliban came into power. With drug smuggling incidents on the sea routes expected to rise, Gujarat police met with the Border Security Force, Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, DRI, and Narcotics Control Bureau to secure Gujarat’s 1,600 km-long coastline, which borders Pakistan, another drug smuggling hotspot.

Gujarat’s Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia addressed the media and stressed how Gujarat has sought to keep a leash on the drug trade that is expected to gather more pace through the state’s sea routes following the recent geo-political developments involving the Taliban.

Gujarat police have long tried to implement its plan against substance abuse by launching awareness drives focussing on the ill effects of drugs both in society and personal lives.

From May 2020 to February 2021, various law enforcement agencies patrolling Gujarat’s maritime borders have recovered a total of a whopping 1,383.5 kg of illicit substances disguised as urea packets.

FleetMon+agencies