50 kg cocaine worth Rs 502 crore seized from container at port near Mumbai

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized more than 50 kilograms of high-quality cocaine worth Rs 502 crore from a container carrying fruits at the Nhava Sheva Port in neighbouring Navi Mumbai,

This is one of the largest seizures of cocaine attempted to be smuggled through sea containers in the recent past, he said, adding that the drug was seized on Thursday.

"The DRI's Mumbai zonal unit had received intelligence inputs about the consignment, which was brought to Nhava Sheva Port from South Africa. Accordingly, the container was identified and opened in the presence of the DRI officials, following which it was revealed that a large number of bricks made up of high-quality cocaine and weighing approximately 1 kg each, were concealed inside the boxes of green apples," an official statement said.

"This container was brought to India by the same importer, who was arrested by the DRI in the case involving seizure of 198 kg meth and 9 kg cocaine from a consignment of oranges originating from South Africa at Vashi earlier this week," the DRI said.