Seven containers suspected to be carrying radioactive material shipped from Pakistan’s Karachi were intercepted off the Gujarat coastline and seized by Customs and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday, sources told News18.
The cargo, which was bound for Shanghai in China, was intercepted in Indian waters and taken to the Mundra Port following a joint two-day operation based on intelligence inputs about the movement of containers carrying hazardous materials from Pakistan to China, sources added.
While the exact nature of the cargo was not immediately known, an official said on condition of anonymity that the contents had been classified as Hazard Class 7. This particular class deals with radioactive material like enriched uranium. The official added that the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is currently examining the quantum of the radioactive material.
“An alert was received by intelligence agencies that containers have been moving from Karachi to Shanghai. They were intercepted at the Gujarat coastline by officials and asked to move towards the Mundra Port,” the official told News18.
“The alert also hinted about radioactive material which was undeclared. Officials are currently analysing the material supposed to have been shipped in these seven containers. Investigators of different agencies will be asked to join if required,” the official added.
In a statement, Adani Ports which operates the Mundra Port said the cargo was listed as “non-hazardous” and not destined for any port in India.
“On November 18, 2021, a joint Customs and DRI team seized several containers at the Mundra Port from a foreign vessel on concerns that they contained undeclared hazardous cargo. While the cargo was listed as non-hazardous, the seized containers had Hazard Class 7 markings (which indicate radioactive substances). Although the containers were not destined for Mundra Port or any other port in India but were en route from Karachi in Pakistan to Shanghai in China, the government authorities had them offloaded at Mundra Port for further inspection,” the statement said.
In September, the Ministry of Home Affairs had transferred a similar case registered by the DRI last year to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) wherein a vessel identified as ‘Da Cui Yun’, destined for Karachi, had a pressure chamber used to launch missiles. The case was registered under relevant sections of the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005 along with other acts.
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