- Confiscated drugs contained -191.60 kg of Heroine, 65.20 kg of Mephedrone, 10.02 kg of Ketamine, and 1.86 kg of PhenylPropanolamine
The Mumbai Customs department has destroyed a large quantity of high-value drugs at a facility in Navi Mumbai. Around 269 kilograms of Narcotics and Psychotropic substances worth approximately Rs, 2,500 crore were destroyed.
The destroyed drugs comprised 191.60 kilograms of Heroine, 65.20 kilograms of Mephedrone, 10.02 kilograms of Ketamine, and 1.86 kilograms of Phenyl Propanolamine which were disposed of by way of incineration in the presence of drugs disposal committee (DDC) comprising of senior officers of Customs, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Police department.
These drugs were seized and confiscated in different cases by DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit in the year 2020 in two different cases and the total worth of the destroyed contraband is around Rs 2500 crore in the illicit market, said a senior Customs officer.
Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chief Commissioner of Customs (CCC), Mumbai said “The drugs seized by DRI and NCB are stored in a facility owned by Mumbai Customs and being the authorised agency we follow proper legal procedure for destroying and disposing the seized drugs in presence of DDC officials.
He further elaborated “The seized drugs are destroyed so that these drugs do not reach the society again and this is being done in order to make a drug free society.”
Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chief Commissioner of Customs (IRS), Mumbai
CCC Agarwal further elaborated “A special drive has been launched since October 2021 to dispose of the drugs after completion of seizure and confiscation procedures. Drugs like Tramadol, Opium, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana, and others shall be disposed of by following the prescribed guidelines. Opium, morphine, codeine, and the baine are disposed of by transferring to the Government Opium and Alkaloid Works under the Chief Controller of Factories. Other drugs if not required by the CCF and of no legitimate medical or industrial use are disposed of by way of incineration.
“Destruction of drugs is a vital component in our country’s fight against the drug menace. The destruction of seized drugs is thus an indicator of the collective effort of all the agencies working to curb the drug menace and determination to continue our fight against it,” said Agrawal.
He added, “The destruction of the seized drugs is thus an indicator of the collective effort of all the agencies working to curb the drugs menace, and our determination to continue our fight against it.”
It may be noted that DRI in Mumbai had seized a large quantity of drugs in various operations in the year 2020 and the drugs destroyed were the ones seized in these operations. Another batch of around 500 kilograms of various drugs which remain in the storage facility will be destroyed further following the same legal procedures.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
