Cocaine Worth ₹220 Crore Seized From An Indonesian Bulk Carrier At Paradip Port, Odisha

Cocaine worth Rs. 220 crore was confiscated from a vessel at the Paradip port in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha on Friday, per officials.

On Thursday night, they stated, twenty-two suspicious parcels were discovered in a crane on the ship docked at the Paradip International Cargo Terminal (abbreviated the PICT).

The crane operator reported it to authorities on discovering it, expecting it to be an explosive. According to them, tests revealed that it was cocaine.

The Customs Commissionerate stated in a statement that they inspected the ship at midnight based on intelligence inputs and discovered the cocaine packages.

The MV Debi, a Panama-registered cargo ship, set sail from Egypt and landed here via the Gresik port of Indonesia.

Officials said it was planned to leave here with steel plates for Denmark.

A crane on the vessel was used to bring the 22 packets. After an exclusive kit was used to examine the powder-like substance, it was determined to be cocaine. The worldwide market value of the seized material would be between Rs 200 crore and Rs 220 crore, according to Madhaab Chandra Mishra, the state Commissioner of Customs.

So far, no one has been arrested in connection with the seizures, but the ship’s crew has been held, he said.

According to relevant officials, all crew members are Vietnamese, and Asia Pacific Shipping Co Ltd operates the vessel.

Further searching of the vessel with the aid of sniffer dogs is in progress, the statement clarified.

Reference: Business Standard

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