UN dismisses reports of arms, drugs shipped in Indian Army trucks

Dismissing reports that arms and drugs were shipped in a consignment of trucks for Indian peacekeepers in Congo as a “misunderstanding”, the UN has said the weapons were part of declared contingent-owned equipment and a white substance found on board was anti-humidity powder.

The UN reaction came in response to reports stating that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has opened an investigation into the discovery of assault weapons and narcotics hidden amidst a consignment of trucks being shipped from Mumbai to Indian Army peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Asked about the reports, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric said, “There was a ship, in fact, that did come from Mumbai to Mombasa carrying contingent-owned equipment for the Indian peacekeeping units serving in MONUSCO. Weapons were found by the Kenyan authorities as part of legitimate and declared contingent- owned equipment. The investigation is ongoing.” 

“What it looks like may very well have happened is that the weapons were declared in the bill of landing provided by the shipper, but...that part was not transferred to the manifest. What often happens, when APC’s, armoured personnel carriers, are shipped is that the weapons that are on the outside of the vehicles are transferred for <g data-gr-id="13">safe keeping</g> inside the vehicle,” he said.