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Indian Navy seizes 2,500 kg of illegal drugs off Mumbai coast
INS Tarkash intercepted and boarded the suspected vessel with assistance from the P8I aircraft and the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai
The Indian Navy's Western Naval Command on Wednesday said it intercepted suspicious vessels and seized over 2500 kg of narcotics in the Western Indian Ocean.
On March 31, INS Tarkash, a frontline frigate, received multiple inputs from the Navy's P8I aircraft regarding the movement of suspicious vessels in the area. The vessels were suspected to be trafficking illicit narcotics and other banned substances.
The Navy said INS Tarkash intercepted and boarded the suspected vessel after systematically interrogating all suspicious vessels with assistance from the P8I aircraft and the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai. Additionally, the Navy launched helicopter operations to monitor the activities of other vessels operating in the area.
A specialist boarding team and Marine Commandos boarded the suspect vessel and conducted a thorough search, revealing various sealed packets. The personnel launched a search operation and interrogation and found over 2,500 kgs of narcotic substances (including 2386 kgs of hashish and 121 kgs of heroin) stored in different cargo hold and compartments of the vessel.
The illicit substances were impounded, and the vessels' crews were questioned about their modus operandi. The Navy also ascertained the movement of other similar vessels in the area.
“This seizure underscores the effectiveness and professionalism of the Indian Navy in deterring and disrupting illicit activities, including narcotics trafficking at sea. The Indian Navy’s participation in multinational exercises aims to promote security, stability, and prosperity across international waters in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR),” the Navy said.
In a reply to by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, minister of state for home affairs, Nityanand Rai, said on March 19 that drugs worth over ₹11,311 crore were seized from seaports across the country in 19 different drug busts over the past five years.
The largest quantity and value of the smuggled drug was reported at the Adani Port, SEZ Mundra in Gujarat on September 19, 2021, when central agencies recovered 2,988kg heroin valued at ₹5,976 crore.
The second recovery, according to the minister’s report, was of 303 kg cocaine worth ₹1,515 crore, seized in VOC port, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu on April 20, 2021.
(With inputs from Yogesh Naik in Mumbai)
