Crew Of Detained Cargo Ship With Rs 220 Crore Cocaine Attempts Suicide: Probe On

A crew member of the detained Vietnamese cargo ship MV Debi attempted suicide on Sunday at the Paradip port in Odisha. The incident happened while the ship, which is under investigation after cocaine worth Rs 220 crore was found on December 1, was anchored 4-5 kilometres from the port.

The third engineer on board, a Vietnamese national, jumped into the sea after cutting off his right hand. The crew member was rescued and taken to the Port Authority Hospital in Paradip. He was then moved to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for more advanced treatment. It has been reported that his wounds are now stable.

On November 29, the MV Debi arrived at Paradip Harbour from Gresik Harbour in Indonesia, sparking suspicion. During the nights of November 30 and December 1, when customs officials searched the ship, they found 22 packets of cocaine wrapped in magnets inside the cranes. Due to its final port of call before arriving in Denmark, the ship, owned and operated by Asia Pacific Shipping Co Ltd and registered in Panama, raised concerns.

The 21 Vietnamese nationals who belonged to the detained crew have been imprisoned inside the ship for more than 15 days. There have been reports that the crew member may have been involved in the drug smuggling operation since the suicide attempt. It’s still unclear, though, if the act was an effort of suicide or an escape from the situation.

The Narcotics Control Bureau and customs officials are looking into the circumstances leading to the presence of cocaine on the ship. Ten people are being investigated: six crane operators from Paradip Port, three Vietnamese crew members, and a manager of a stevedoring firm.

The Kujanga Special Narcotics Court is now in charge of the case while investigators continue to look into the circumstances behind the Rs 220 crore cocaine seizure.

Reference: Hindustan Times, The Print

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