Taliban Smuggling Drugs to West, Australia via India, Officials Call Recent Arrests 'Tip of Iceberg'

A Taliban connection in a drug smuggling case to the West through Hyderabad and other Indian cities has emerged in an investigation by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). In the past few weeks heroin consignments are frequently being caught at airports in the past few weeks and three such cases were reported from Hyderabad itself.

The investigation has revealed that the heroin from Afghanistan is sent to Australia and western countries through Mozambique, Johannesburg, Doha, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and New Delhi, Times of India reported.

The report said that in the three cases reported from Hyderabad, mules from African countries travelled from Johannesburg.

“High-quality heroin, a trademark of Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, is being smuggled to Mozambique. From there it goes to Johannesburg, Doha and then to Indian cities, and is further destined to Australia and other countries. They (smugglers) are avoiding South Africans and using other African nationals to avoid agencies in Johannesburg,” a senior DRI official reportedly said.

The official also said that though the source of the drugs is in Taliban, the operation is done by drug cartels based in Africa. The official also suggested that the three cases could be just the tip of the iceberg.

“Drug traffickers are using circuitous routes to reach Australia, the US and Europe from Afghanistan. Drug consignment reaches Pakistan’s southwest coast from Afghanistan and is taken on small boats to the Mozambique coast. It is not possible to detect the movement of these boats using satellite imagery either. From Mozambique it finally reaches Johannesburg by road,” the official adds.

Officials have recently arrested many people from the Hyderabad airport. On June 19, a Zambian was arrested with 3.2 kg of heroin worth Rs 21 crore. Similarly on June 21, DRI seized 3 kg of heroin worth Rs 19.5 crore from a Tanzanian passenger from Johannesburg.

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