New Delhi, May 26 (IANS): The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday said it has recovered a consignment of 52 kg of cocaine valued at Rs 500 crore under "Operation Namkeen" at Mundra port that was imported from Iran.

"On the basis of extensive data analysis and field surveillance, intelligence was developed by the DRI that certain consignments being imported from Iran were likely to contain narcotic drugs.

"... 'Op Namkeen' was launched and a consignment, declared to contain 1,000 bags of common salt having gross weight of 25 MT, which had been imported at Mundra port from Iran, was identified for detailed examination," said a DRI official.

The said consignment was examined for three continuous days from May 24-26.

During the examination, some bags were found to be suspicious, as a substance in powder form having distinct smell was found in these bags.

Samples were drawn from those suspected bags and testing was conducted by officials of Directorate of Forensic Sciences, Gujarat, who reported the presence of cocaine in these samples.

"Examination and seizure proceedings under the provisions of NDPS Act, are in progress. Roles of various persons involved in the consignment are also being investigated by DRI," the official said.