Indian Manufactured Freon's Smuggling Racket In The United States & Canada: Are The Proceeds Financing Delhi's Lobbying Effort In Washington And Ottawa?
Washington, D.C., Wednesday, October 14, 1998 - A washington newspaper's editorial this week: "Arrest that Freon" has once again focused attention on the large-scale smuggling of this substance into the United States from developing countries, lead by India, first reported by this column two years ago - Khalistan Calling of April 17, May 10 and September 18, 1996.Readers may recall that the Khalistan Calling of April 17, 1996 on the subject of Freon by operatives of Indian Intelligence agencies in cahoots with Americans of Indian origin which impressed a New York Indian ethnic newspaper (News India Times) that it accused, on its volition without even checking with this column, the current Indian Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Naresh Chandra. Naresh Chandra was charged of complicity in the large scale smuggling of Indian manufactured Freon gas into the United States. Obviously the Indian newspaper knew something we did not. We believe the prestigious News India Times as our sources in India confirm that the exports of the Delhi-based Navine Fluorine Industries, a subsidiary of the Mafatlal group, which manufactures Freon gas in India have sky rocketed in the past few years. This of course is with the "help" from various agencies of the Indian government particularly the Indian Foreign Office. Obviously Indian-manufactured Freon has a ready market not only in the United States but also in Canda, Europe and Australia.
The Indian newspaper's charge was given further credence at about the same point in time when an Indian, Casey Raja of Hialeah Gardens Florida, was awarded a prison sentence, along with a $100,000 fine, by a Florida court for smuggling 4,000 tons of Indian manufactured Freon gas into the United States. The Florida court's action focused attention on the "Indian Connection" in this very lucrative smuggling racket. The proceeds of which, our sources in India tell us, are currently being used to finance the hiring of prominent, but gullible, American lobbyists who have lately been joining the Indian bandwagon on Washington, New York and Ottawa. Such luminaries, for example, as Senators Bob Dole and George Mitchell have lately been paraded by the Indian Embassy in Washington as its lobbyists. The names of Ambassador Wisner and former Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger are also being dropped. This column assumes that these prominent Americans are not aware of the Indian Embassy's "Freon connection". It is hoped that the good senators, Dole and Mitchell, both of whom have enjoyed a good reputation, will look into the Indian Embassy's "Freon Connection" before their relationship with the Indian Embassy thickens...
Readers may remember that the US Environment Protection Agency banned the import and manufacture of Freon gas in this country in the wake of the 1987 international treaty, known as the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer, although it allowed consumers to use existing supplies for the likes of auto air conditioners, refrigerators etc. The Washington Times reported last week (Ms Joyce Price) that the feds have been trying to police Freon's use ever since, as the "existing" supplies do not seem to end. The war on Freon smuggling, according to the Washington newspaper editorial, now ranks up there with the war on drugs.
US Customs officials in Texas and Florida were quoted by the newspaper editorial as saying that Freon trafficking is second only to illegal drug trafficking and runs in billions of dollars. The newspaper quoted the EPA as saying that; "As much as 10,000 tons of the stuff comes into this country every year as US demand remains high because the alternatives are expensive". Retrofitting autos to use Freon substitutes can cost hundreds of dollars. Relying on the "never ending legal stock" of Freon to charge one's air conditioner which now costs $50 (yes fifty) per pound, versus $ 1 (yes dollar one) per pound which was the cost before, is still a bargain .
To circumvent American Law and foil American Customs Indian Freon traders have currently been exporting this valuable commodity to Mexico where retail outlets sell this lucrative commodity to American tourists who pick it up cheap, according to the Washington Times, and; "sell it back here for more thus criminalizing a whole new class of people. Many of these smugglers are people who never would consider breaking the law, but the money involved is too much of a temptation". It is hoped that the money involved does not become too much of a temptation as well for the various American lobbyists the Indian embassy has lately been recruiting!