Bhubaneswar, Dec 2: Following the seizure of Rs 220 crore worth of cocaine from a vessel at Odisha's Paradip port, a coordinated effort by the Customs Department, Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Odisha Police has commenced to escalate the investigation.

The primary focus is on tracing the origin of the illicit substance and identifying the intended recipient. In a comprehensive search led by the IB and Customs, supported by sniffer dogs from the Odisha Police, suspicions have emerged regarding a potential attempt by one of the crew members to smuggle the contraband.

As the ship was not slated to make any stops at other Indian ports, investigators suspect the consignment was intended for international delivery. A source within the Customs Department suggested, "It seems the drug was not meant for distribution in the Indian market."

The captain and crew members of the cargo ship are presently undergoing questioning at an undisclosed location as part of the ongoing probe. Investigative agencies are delving into potential connections to Odisha, marking this as a significant drug seizure in the state in recent years.

The discovery of twenty-two suspicious packets in a crane on the ship, anchored at Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT) on Thursday night, prompted immediate action after the crane operator suspected them to be potentially explosive. Authorities, accompanied by a dog squad, subsequently raided the ship and seized the packets. Preliminary narcotics tests confirmed the contents to be cocaine.

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