Amaravati, Nov 13 (IANS): YSR Congress Party leader Botcha Satyanarayana has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding a thorough probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the seizure of narcotic drugs at Visakhapatnam Port in March this year.

The large shipment seized on March 10-11, 2024 had originated from Santos Port of Brazil and was intended to supply to Visakhapatnam-based Sandhya Aqua feed.

Satyanarayana, who is the leader of the opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, alleged that family members of BJP MP and BJP state president Daggubati Purandeswari are closely associated with the company.

The YSRCP leader mentioned that the CBI in a press release on March 21 had stated that as part of operation Garuda, it detained a shipping container suspected to have narcotic drugs mixed with around 25,000 kg of inactive dry yeast. The agency had seized the entire consignment and registered a case.

The former minister wrote that the incident caused serious concerns about safety and law and order in an otherwise peaceful port city. “A number of Defence installations like Naval Command are located here. Many more Central Government organisations are functioning from Visakhapatnam,” reads the letter.

He expressed surprise that after March, the CBI has not issued any further press release to give further details of the investigation in the case. He wrote that this silence is giving rise to many suspicions regarding the consignee and their links.

Satyanarayana urged the Home Minister to direct the CBI to place all facts in the public domain urgently.

The YSRCP leader also attached a copy of the press release issued by the CBI on March 21.

The agency had mentioned that the operation indicates the involvement of an international criminal network engaged in importing narcotic drugs by way of mixing it with other substances commonly known as cutting agents.