Customs department destroys drugs worth Rs 2,500 crore in Navi Mumbai
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,
The Mumbai Customs department has destroyed a large quantity of high value drugs at a facility in Navi Mumbai. Around 269 kilogram of Narcotics and Psychotropic substances worth approximately Rs 2,500 crore were destroyed on Wednesday at the said facility.
The destroyed drugs comprised of 191.60 kilogram of Heroine, 65.20 kilogram of Mephedrone, 10.02 kilograms of Ketamine and 1.86 kilogram of Phenyl Propanolamine which were disposed 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.
“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,” said Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai, Prmod Kumar Agrawal. He added, “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.”
DRI in Mumbai had seized 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 remains in storage facility will be destroyed further following the same legal procedures.
“A special drive has been launched since October 2021 to dispose the drugs after completion of seizure and confiscation procedures. Drugs like Tramadol, Opium, Cocaine, Heroine, Marijuana and others shall be disposed 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,” said Agrawal.
“Destruction of drugs is a vital component in our country’s fight against the drug menace. The destruction of seized drugs are thus and 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 are 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.”
Earlier this month, Customs officials seized 35 kilograms of Heroin worth Rs 247 crore at Mumbai airport from two Zimbabwean nationals.
