Bhubaneswar, Dec 1 Customs officials have seized a large quantity of cocaine from a Denmark-bound ship berthed at the Paradip International Cargo Terminal at Paradip port during a raid, an official said Friday.
The officials have recovered cocaine weighing 22 kg valued at around Rs 220 crore in the international market during the search of the ship that continued on Friday.
The Customs officials received an intelligence input that some suspected packets reportedly carrying drugs have been concealed in a Panama registered ship, ‘MV Debi’, which has been berthed at the Paradip port. The ship had arrived from Gresik port, Indonesia, without any import cargo.
Following the tip-off, officers from the Customs (preventive) Commissionerate, Bhubaneswar zone, carried out searches on the ship on Thursday and Friday. During the search, the Customs officials found 22 packets (wrapped and affixed with magnet) from the cranes of the ship. The packets were containing a hardened but brittle white substance which was later confirmed as cocaine.
“A total of 22 kg cocaine valued at around Rs 220 crore was recovered,” a press note issued by the Commissioner of Customs, Bhubaneswar Zone, revealed.
The Customs sources also stated that all the crew members working on board the ship were from Vietnam. The ship, owned by Asia Pacific Shipping Co. Ltd, was destined for Denmark.
--IANS
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