Incident Overview
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan ordered the seizure of the ship “Stella L Panama” at Kakinada Anchorage Port, which was loaded with 38,000 metric tonnes of rice, including 640-1,320 tonnes of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice[1][2][3].
Key Details
- Ship Name: Stella L Panama
- Total Cargo: 38,000 metric tonnes
- PDS Rice Discovered: 640-1,320 metric tonnes
- Destination: Cotonou Port, Benin (West Africa)
- Date of Intervention: November 28, 2024
Significant Findings
Kalyan discovered a complex smuggling operation involving:
- Illegal export of subsidized PDS rice
- Potential national security risks
- Involvement of multiple export companies[6]
Companies Implicated
- Manasa Quality Enterprises
- Satyam Balajee Rice Industries
- Lavana International
- Sai Teja Exporters
Government Actions
- Comprehensive port investigation
- Potential involvement of CBI or CID
- Directed seizure of the ship
- Warned about potential terrorist infiltration risks
Legal Complications
As of December 18, 2024, the final seizure remained uncertain due to potential procedural and legal issues[6].
Kalyan emphasized that this was not just about rice smuggling, but about protecting national security, drawing parallels with previous terrorist incidents[1][2].
Note: This is a developing story with ongoing investigations.
Citations:
[1] https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2024/Nov/30/seize-ship-involved-in-illegal-rice-trade-andhra-pradesh-dycm
[2] https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/pawan-kalyan-cracks-down-on-illegal-rice-smuggling-at-kakinada-port-124113000059_1.html
[3] https://kainaazassociates.com/newsupdate/pawan-kalyan-orders-seizure-of-west-africa-bound-ship-loaded-with-38000-mt-of-rice-at-kakinada-anchorage-port/
[4] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amaravati/pawan-kalyan-raises-concern-over-security-breaches-at-kakinada-port/articleshow/115816534.cms
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEp-Omta9Mc
[6] https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2024/Dec/18/pds-rice-smuggling-seizure-of-ship-not-possible-hints-collector
[7] https://www.thenewsminute.com/andhra-pradesh/1320-tonnes-of-pds-rice-found-on-ship-seized-by-dy-cm-pawan-kalyan
[8] https://www.instagram.com/deccanchronicle_official/reel/DC9Z_knM33L/
