Seizure on Pak border: 5.5-kg heroin recovered from truck carrying brooms from Afghanistan

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence alongwith other departments including Custom Department recovered 5.5 kg heroin from the consignment of brooms imported from Afghanistan on a pickup truck at Integrated Check Post of Attari-Wagah border here.

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) alongwith other departments including Custom Department has unearthed a novel modus operandi of heroin smuggling into India through the land route at India-Pakistan border and recovered 5.5 kg heroin from the consignment of brooms imported from Afghanistan on a pickup truck at Integrated Check Post (ICP) of Attari-Wagah border here.

In the consignment of 4000 pieces of brooms in 40 bags, the heroin was stealthily filled in 442 hollow short sticks. (HT Photo)

“Based on specific intelligence developed and further profiling by DRI officers, a consignment of brooms was intercepted at Integrated Check Post, Attari, Amritsar. On examination, 5.480 kg of recovered heroin was seized on Thursday,” said a spokesperson of the DRI.

In a press release, he said, “In the consignment of 4,000 pieces of brooms in 40 bags, the heroin was stealthily filled in 442 hollow short pieces/sticks of river cane/bamboo (in 3 bags) with ends of such sticks artificially sealed and such sticks were further concealed/camouflaged by being placed/packed inside “Afghan brooms” which were tied up with iron wire on the outside”.

“The cargo consignment of “Afghan brooms” was imported by an Afghan national with fake Indian IDs in connivance with his Indian national wife. The said Afghan national was out on bail granted in earlier NDPS case booked by Delhi Police in 2018. Both, the Afghan national and his wife were arrested under NDPS Act, 1985. Further, follow up action and investigations to unearth the entire conspiracy and smuggling module and to gather evidence are being conducted,” he added.