This seemed to be a new way of drug smuggling where the goods were sent to a cold storage after customs clearance before further transportation.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai on Saturday seized crystal methamphetamine and cocaine collectively worth Rs 1,476 crore from the neighbouring Navi Mumbai area.
A total of 198 kg of high-purity crystal methamphetamine (ice) and nine kg of high-purity cocaine were seized at Vashi while they were being smuggled in cartons of imported oranges.
The central agency's Mumbai zonal unit had received a tip-off about a consignment of fruits stored at a cold storage facility containing concealed drugs.
A DRI team swung into action and intercepted a truck in Vashi carrying `Valentia oranges' imported from South Africa on Friday evening and found drugs concealed in the cartons. The truck had left Prabhu Hira Ice & Cold Storage in Vashi.
This is a new kind of modus operandi involving concealment of drugs in the boxes of "Valencia Oranges" imported from South Africa. After clearance of such oranges from Customs area, the goods used to get stored in some cold storages located in Vashi.
According to a Times of India report, based on intelligence inputs, surveillance was maintained for 10-12 days, with officials looking for consignments of fruits being cleared from some cold shortages in Navi Mumbai.
"The importer of the goods has been nabbed and is being questioned. Further search operations for identifying and nabbing the people involved in running this chain of smuggling of drugs is underway," the DRI official said.
This is said to be one of the biggest seizures of amphetamine and cocaine in India. Crystal methamphetamine, a synthetic drug and highly addictive, is abused because of long-lasting euphoric effects it produces. Crystal methamphetamine has a high purity level and more intense physiological effects.
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 "How DRI seized 198 kg ice and 9 kg cocaine from Navi Mumbai?")
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