After drug haul, Adani Ports to not handle cargo from Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan

New Delhi, Oct 11: The Adani Ports on Monday announced that it will not handle cargo originating from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan from November 15.

"Adani Ports and Sez will not handle EXIM containerised cargo originating from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan at all its terminals from 15th November," it said in a statement. It comes a month after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized over 3,000 kg heroin and arrested two persons from Mundra Port in Gujarat, managed by the Adani Group.

This trade advisory will apply to all terminals operated by APSEZ and including third party terminals at any APSEZ port till further notice, the statement added.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) accounts for nearly one-fourth of the cargo movement in the country and has a presence across 13 domestic ports in seven maritime states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

After the seizure of about 3,000 kg heroin, valued at around Rs 20,000 crore, the company, in a statement, said it was just a port operator and has no policing authority over the containers or the cargo that passes through the terminals managed by the company.

"The law empowers the Government of India's competent authorities such as the Customs and the DRI to open, examine and seize the unlawful cargo. No port operator across the country can examine a container. Their role is limited to running the port. We sincerely hope that this statement will put to rest the motivated, malicious and false propaganda being run on social media against the Adani Group," it added.

The heroin originated in Afghanistan and was shipped from Bandar Abbas Port, Iran to Mundra Port and it was addressed to a trading firm based in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. The seizure led to the arrest of eight persons, including Afghan and Uzbekistan nationals.

The National Investigation Agency is investigating the case.