Visakhapatnam: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seized a huge consignment of narcotics, weighing about 25,000 kilograms, from a ship at Visakhapatnam port.
As part of its Operation Garuda, CBI has detained the shipping container on suspicion that it had a huge consignment of narcotics.
Cocaine was found mixed in bags of dried yeast in the ship.
The container was booked from Brazil’s Santos port for delivery at Visakhapatnam in the name of a private company, Sandhya Aqua Exports Private Limited, according to CBI’s statement.
“The consignee had said that the shipping container carried 1,000 bags of inactive dried yeast of 25 kilograms each, totalling 25,000 kg. During the examination, it was found that the consignment had narcotic substances, suspected to be cocaine, mixed in the yeast,” CBI said.
All 1,000 bags were examined for the presence of narcotic substances and the test result was positive for cocaine/methaqualone.
The CBI, alerteded by an input from Interpol, carried out the exercise with the help of Customs. “The whole consignment has been seized and an FIR has been registered against the consignee and others,” a CBI official added.
Company officials claimed they had imported the product for the first time and were unaware of its composition.
An investigation is underway.
“The operation indicates the involvement of an international criminal network engaged in importing narcotics drugs by way of mixing it with other substances commonly known as cutting agents,” CBI stated.
