Visakhapatnam: 10 to 20 % of narcotic substances expected to be present in drug consignment

Visakhapatnam: Clarity on the quantity of narcotic substances found in 25,000-kg of dry yeast shipped recently in a container will arrive once the result of the forensic lab sent by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is out.

According to sources, 10 to 20 per cent of narcotic substances are expected to be present in the total consignment which was shipped from Port of Santos, Brazil. CBI sleuths said that international drug smugglers carry out their nefarious transaction by mixing the drugs with other agents and delivering them to different destinations. Commonly known as cutting agents, the officials concerned opine that such disguised shipment is generally carried out to escape getting caught during scanning and verification protocols.

In the meantime, the CBI is considering every possible angle in investigating the case, including the manner the huge consignment of dry yeast laced with narcotics substances found its way to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh all the way from Brazil, was there any intentional skipping of protocol during the shipment or the consignment reached the destination with the support of a section of officials, etc., Based on a tip-off from Interpol, the CBI detained the shipping container of Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited that carried 25,000-kg of yeast laced with narcotic substances.

The consignment was slated to be delivered to Sandhya Aqua Exports Limited based in Visakhapatnam for its shrimp feed. However, as part of its ‘Operation Garuda’, the CBI seized the container as it found traces of banned drugs in the dry yeast packets. After taking samples and sending them for the forensic test, the container was kept sealed.

At a time when election heat soars, the discovery of the consignment is snowballing into a political row.

The Opposition alleged that the YSRCP made Visakhapatnam as the drug capital instead of executive capital of the state, while the ruling party points at the reported involvement of BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari’s relatives in the aqua company to which the supply was shipped. In response to the allegations, Sandhya Aqua, however, claimed ignorance of any narcotics consignment received.