New Delhi: There has been a huge increase in the recovery of heroin in the country in the last four years. According to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the country’s top anti-smuggling agency, 237 kg of heroin was recovered in 2019, which has increased to 14,967 kg by September 2022.
This information has been given in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court. The DRI said that in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, attempts have been made by the international drug mafia in Afghanistan and Iran in connivance with Pakistani handlers to smuggle a large quantity of banned drugs into the country through sea, air and land routes.
However, there have been major seizures in the last two years due to vigilance and development of a comprehensive intelligence network.
D. R. I. Authorities have recovered a record quantity of high-value drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin in the last financial year 2021-22. According to the data, the recovery of party drug cocaine increased by 36 times to 310 kg during the financial year, which is a matter of great concern. The authorities had seized 8.7 kg of cocaine in 2020-21 and 1.1 kg in 2019-20.
D. R. I. The authorities seized 884.69 kg of methamphetamine during the period under review. This is 14 times the 64.39 kg in 2020-21. Besides, the authorities have seized 3,410.71 kg of heroin during the last financial year. This amount is 17 times that of the previous financial year.
Of this, 2,988 kg of heroin was seized from Mundra port. In the financial year 2020-21 and 2019-20, 202 kg and 143 kg of heroin were seized across the country, respectively. However, the seizure of ganja has come down to 26,946 kg in 2021-22. In 2020-21, 45,992 kg of ganja was seized and in 2019-20, 34,797 kg of ganja was seized.