'Won’t Handle Containerised Cargo From Iran, Pakistan Or Afghanistan', Says Adani Ports After Mundra Drug Haul

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) on Monday (11 October) issued a trade advisory declaring that it will not be handling any containerised cargo originating from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, reports Indian Express.

“Please be informed that with effect from November 15, 2021, APSEZ will not handle EXIM containerised cargo originating from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This trade advisory will apply to all terminals operated by APSEZ and including third party terminals at any APSEZ port till further notice,” stated the statement issued by Chief Executive Officer Subrat Tripathy.

Notably, the advisory comes almost a month after nearly 3,000 kilograms of heroin was seized from two containers at Mundra port. The consignment, intercepted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on 13 September, is said to have originated from Kandahar in Afghanistan and landed at Mundra port in Kutch district via Bandar Abbas port in Iran.

After the said incident the company was targeted on social media and was forced to release a statement that read: “APSEZ is a port operator providing services to shipping lines. We have no policing authority over the containers or the millions of tonnes of cargo that pass through the terminal in Mundra or any of our ports.”