Navy intercepts boat carrying 200kg of heroin off Kochi coast, 6 Iranians held

Speaking to reporters, SK Singh, the deputy director general of operations (DDG, Ops) at the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), said a Pakistani boat initially carried the consignment and transferred it to an Iranian boat mid-sea, adding the consignment was destined for Sri Lanka, while a part of it was meant for India.

The Indian Navy on Friday intercepted a boat carrying 200kg of heroin worth ₹1,200 crore off the Kochi coast. Speaking to reporters, SK Singh, the deputy director general of operations (DDG, Ops) at the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), said six Iranian crew members were arrested under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The seized heroin was found in 200 packets each of which had markings and packing specialities unique to Afghanistan and Pakistan-based drug cartels. (Representative image)

According to reports, the arrested crew members were from the Konarak area of Iran.

Singh said a Pakistani boat initially carried the consignment and transferred it to an Iranian boat mid-sea, adding the consignment was destined for Sri Lanka, while a part of it was meant for India.

“The boat, detainees and other incriminating materials were handed over to us for investigation. According to inputs, this consignment was supplied by Pakistan-based Hadi Salim network, which supplies heroin, charas, and Methamphetamine to India and other countries in the Indian Ocean,” Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Singh said no links with terrorists were found yet, while three smartphones were seized and the investigation was currently at a preliminary stage.

The top NCB officer further said the seized heroin was found in 200 packets each of which had markings and packing specialities unique to Afghanistan and Pakistan-based drug cartels.

This massive drug seizure off the Kochi coast came after the NCB seized 60kg of mephedrone drug worth more than ₹120 crore from Mumbai and Gujarat, and arrested six members of an inter-state drug cartel, including a former Air India pilot.

"We have cracked a drug network spread across various states of the country and arrested six persons involved in the syndicate," Sanjay Singh, NCB's deputy director general said at a press conference on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies)