250 kg of hashish washes up on Maharashtra beaches in 6 days

The Customs department has seized more than 250 kg of hashish washed up on seven beaches in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district in six days, an official said on Monday.

The contraband was seized between August 14 and August 19 from Karde, Ladghar, Kelshi, Kolthare, Murud, Burondi and Borya beaches and Dabhol creek in the district, the official said.

The Customs department suspects that the contraband, which originated from Afghanistan and Pakistan, had either fallen or was dumped by foreign vessels for the purpose of smuggling, he said.

In the first seizure, sleuths of Dapoli Customs division were patrolling at Karade beach on August 14 when they found 10 suspicious packages collectively weighing about 12 kg, and a test confirmed the content was hashish, the official said.

Similarly on August 15, 35 kg of the contraband was found between Karde and Ladghar beaches, and the next day, 25 kg hahshish was recovered from Kelshi and 13 kg from Kolthare, he said.

On August 17, more than 14 kg of the contraband was found at Murud, 101 kg between Burondi and Dabhol creek, while 22 kg was seized from Borya beach, the official said.

"We have recovered more than 250 kg of the contraband from seven beaches in six days from last Monday to Saturday and our search operation is still underway," Dapoli Customs assistant commissioner Shrikant Kudalkar said.

Kudalkar appealed to people living along the coast to contact the department if they find any bags that may contain drugs.

"If anyone is found in possession of such narcotic substances from the coast, appropriate action will be taken against them under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act,” the official said.