Congress alleges NCB of protecting 'kingpins' of drug cartels

Panaji (Goa) [India], October 3 : Congress on Sunday alleged that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is protecting the 'kingpins' of drug cartels and said the agency was mum on the seizure of around 3,000 kg of heroin from Adani Mundra port in Gujarat.
Addressing a press conference in Goa, All India Congress Committee (AICC) Spokesperson Dr Shama Mohammed also took a dig at the central investigation agency for "arresting small fish on cruise ship" and keeping mum about the "biggest fish".
"NCB gets very busy arresting small fish on a cruise ship but when it comes to the biggest fish of them all-the 3000 kg heroin smuggled from Adani's Mundra port, NCB is completely mum. Why is NCB protecting the kingpins of the organised drug cartel and on whose orders?" asked Mohammed.
The Congress leader also came down heavily on Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) government in the Centre for promoting drug mafias.
She noted that the "Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on September 15 this year seized nearly 3,000 kg of heroin branded as 'Semicut Talcum Powder' from Gujarat's Mundra port -- the largest consignment caught by the DRI so far. The haul is estimated to be worth over Rs 21,000 crore in the international market."
"The heroin was found in two containers that landed at Mundra port from Afghanistan via Iran, exported from the Afghanistani firm M/s Hassan Hussain Limited, and imported in the name of Aashi Trading Company of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh," the Congress leader said.
Dr Mohammed said this is not the first time that such a large drug consignment was sent to India from the Mundra port.
"In June 2021, 25,000 kgs of heroin valued at Rs 1,70,000 crore was smuggled into India from the same Afghanistani firm." Dr Mohammed added.
Congress alleged that these lethal drugs are now in the country. "Never in the history of India has such a large quantity of drugs been smuggled inside our borders without any intervening check from the government," it stated in a press release.
"It is impossible for such a massive shipment of drugs to be brought in without political patronage. Where are the NCB, IB, CBI and Customs Departments when such an organised drug syndicate is operating freely from the Mundra port?" questioned Dr Mohammed.
She further asked that after repeated incidents of smuggling, why wasn't the Mundra port investigated? "Is it because of the proximity of its owner Gautam Adani with our PM Narendra Modi?"
In an official statement, Dr Mohammed also raised a concern that the NCB is without a full-time head for the past 18 months.
Congress also demands that the "drug nexus operating from Adani's Mundra port, be investigated by a Commission comprising of two sitting Supreme Court judges."
As per an official statement of Congress, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, Working President Aleixo Sequeira and Media Cell Chairman Amarnath Panjikar, were also present during the press conference.