In major drug bust, India seizes $2.7 bln of heroin from Afghanistan at port

Nearly three tons of heroin with a street value of $2.7 billion from Afghanistan have been seized from a western Indian port in a major bust, officials said Monday.

Two Indians were arrested after the heroin, which was kept in two containers marked as carrying talc, was found by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Mundra Port in the western state of Gujarat, the government agency said.

The consignment – with one container carrying nearly 2,000 kilograms (4,409 pounds) of heroin and another holding nearly 1,000 kilograms – originated from Afghanistan and was shipped from a port in Iran to Gujarat, the DRI said.

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“Searches have been conducted in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Gandhidham and Mandvi in Gujarat,” the agency said in a statement.

It added that the shipment was estimated to be worth 200 billion rupees ($2.7 billion).

The investigation also allegedly uncovered the involvement of Afghan nationals, the DRI said, although no one else has been arrested so far.

Afghanistan is the world’s biggest producer of heroin, supplying between 80-90 percent of global output.

Heroin production has boomed in Afghanistan in recent years, helping fund the Taliban which returned to power in August.

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