700 kg meth seized in massive drug haul off Gujarat coast, 8 Iranians held

Codenamed 'Sagar Manthan - 4', the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs, NCB said in a statement.

In a massive drug haul, anti-narcotics agencies seized about 700 kilograms of Methamphetamine - also known as meth - and arrested eight Iranian nationals from Indian territorial waters off the Gujarat coast on Friday, November 15.

The operation was carried out jointly by the NCB, Navy and Gujarat Police Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).(X/@narcoticsbureau)

Codenamed 'Sagar Manthan - 4', the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said in a statement, adding that a vessel was identified and interdicted by the Navy by mobilising its maritime patrol assets.

The operation was carried out jointly by the NCB, Navy and Gujarat Police Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reacted to the drug-bust and said the operation stands out as a “stellar example of the government's commitment to the vision and the seamless coordination among our agencies in achieving the same.”

"Pursuing PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision for a drug-free Bharat, our agencies today busted an international drug trafficking cartel and seized over approx. 700 kg of contraband meth in Gujarat," Shah wrote on microblogging platform 'X'.

Investigation to identify the backward and forward linkages of the drug syndicate are on for which help of foreign Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEA) is being be taken, the NCB aaid.

Operation ‘Sagar Manthan’

The NCB launched Operation 'Sagar Manthan' was launched early this year by constituting a team of officers of its Operations Branch and officers of Operations/Intelligence Wing of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and ATS Gujarat Police to counter the threat to national security emanating from maritime trafficking of illicit drugs.

A series of such maritime operations have been launched by NCB in coordination with the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard and till now about 3,400 Kgs of various Narcotic drugs and Psychotropic Substance have been seized and 11 Iranian Nationals and 14 Pakistani Nationals have been arrested in three cases, who are all lodged in jail awaiting trial, according to an ANI report.