The Mumbai Airport Customs department had recently destroyed 43.899 Kgs of Narcotic Drugs (31.375 Kgs Heroin and 12.524 Kg Cocaine) valued at ₹297.26 crore. Last month, Airport Special Cargo (APSC) Commissionerate of Mumbai Customs had carried out destruction of 28 Kgs of narcotic substances including ganja, cocaine, charas, tramadol and ephedrine, valued at approximately ₹2.16 crore at the Taloja facility, authorised by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for such operations.
Customs department
Customs department
"The seized drugs are destroyed by way of the incineration as per the Hazardous & Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, at Common Hazardous Waste Treatment Storage & Disposal Facility, Taloja. After the drugs are seized, they are kept in the government maalkhaanas or warehouses. Disposal process is defined in the NDPS Act according to which we take along independent panch witnesses and in the police escort, the drugs are taken to the facility where it has to be destroyed. After securing permission from the MPCB, the drugs are burnt in the incinerator and the destruction process does not cause any pollution," said an official.
The official added, "Government of India has issued directives that speedy disposal of the seized drugs needs to be done so that instances of pilferage, theft and loss are avoided." On October 12, Mumbai Airport Customs had also carried out destruction of 3700 Kgs of confiscated, seized cigarettes (25 lakh sticks approximately) & e-cigarettes, valued at ₹2.80 crore at Taloja.
