NEW DELHI, Nov 20: Several containers suspected to be carrying hazardous radioactive materials from Pakistan to China were seized by the central agencies from Mundra port in Kutch district in Gujarat.
The Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), which runs the Mundra port said on Saturday that a joint Customs and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) team seized several containers at Mundra Port from a foreign vessel on concerns that they contained undeclared hazardous cargo.
The seized hazardous cargo containers were en route from Karachi in Pakistan to Shanghai in China, and the containers were not destined for Mundra Port. Adanis said while the cargo was listed as non-hazardous, the seized containers had Hazard Class 7 markings – which indicate radioactive substances.
“On 18 November, 2021, a joint Customs and DRI team seized several containers at Mundra Port from a foreign vessel on concerns that they contained undeclared hazardous cargo.”
“… 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,” Adani Ports, part of the Adani Group conglomerate, said.
Adani Ports said it extended all assistance possible for this operation and thanks the Customs and DRI personnel for their quick and coordinated action. “We salute their alert diligence and will continue to fully assist any action that keeps India safe. The Adani Group takes national security very seriously and will not allow it to be compromised in any way,” it said.
(Manas Dasgupta)