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Drug bust: NCB seizes 700 kg meth off Gujarat coast, 8 ‘Iranian’ crew members arrested
the seized narcotic drug has an estimated international street value of ₹2-3 crore per kg, putting the total worth of the confiscated contraband between ₹1,400 and ₹2,100 crore.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Indian Navy and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in a joint operation seized 700 kgs of methamphetamine and arrested eight suspected Iranian nationals from a foreign vessel off the Porbandar coast on Friday.
According to officials aware of the development, the seized narcotic drug has an estimated international street value of ₹2-3 crore per kg, putting the total worth of the confiscated contraband between ₹1,400 and ₹2,100 crore.
“A huge consignment of about 700 kg of methamphetamine was interdicted in Indian territorial waters. During this operation, eight foreign nationals were arrested who claim to be Iranians,” the NCB said in a statement.
The accused have been identified as Ata Mohammed Baloch, 41, Z N Baloch, 20, Ismail Ibrahim, 23, Rasul Baksh, 51, Mohammed Rahisi, 55, Gulam Mohammed, 62, Kasim Baksh, 63 and Nabi Baksh Baloch, 43. The eight men do not have any identity documents, the NCB said.
“The Indian Navy in a coordinated operation with the NCB and Gujarat Police intercepted a suspicious boat leading to seizure of approximately 700 kg of meth in Gujarat. This is the second major successful coordinated anti-narcotics operations at sea by the Navy this year,” the Navy said in its post on X.
In its statement, the NCB said they launched the operation, codenamed ‘Sagar Manthan-4’, based on intelligence inputs and intercepted an un-registered vessel — without an automatic identification system (AIS) or an electronic boat or ship-tracking indicator — that entered Indian waters with drugs.
The suspect vessel was identified and ‘interdicted’ by the Navy by mobilising its maritime patrol assets (ships), it said.
NCB has launched a series of such maritime operations in coordination with the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, and till now about 3,400 kg of various narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances have been seized.
Eleven Iranian nationals and 14 Pakistanis have been arrested in three cases, who are all in jail awaiting trial, according to the NCB statement.
