Pakistani boat apprehended near Gujarat coast with drugs worth ₹600 crore, 14 arrested

The Pakistani nationals were held during a joint operation of the Indian Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

Updated on: Apr 28, 2024, 17:31:56 IST

By HT News Desk

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Security forces have apprehended 14 Pakistani nationals with around 86 kg of drugs, worth ₹600 crore, near the International Maritime Boundary Line off the Gujarat coast.

The Pakistani nationals were held during a joint operation of the Indian Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

The operation was carried out by the agencies based on intelligence inputs for the last few days.

“In a breathtaking overnight operation, Indian Coast Guard undertook an intelligence-based anti-narcotics operation at sea on 28 Apr 24,” the coast guard said. “Approximately 86 kg of narcotics worth ₹600 crore has been apprehended along with 14 crew from the Pakistani boat. The operation was an epitome of inter-agency coordination wherein the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) collaborated seamlessly which culminated in the successful operation.”

“The ships and aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard were deployed on concurrent missions to effect the operation. ICG ship Rajratan, which had NCB and ATS officials embarked, positively identified the suspect boat. No amount of evasive manoeuvring tactics employed by the drug laden boat could save it from the swift and strong ICG ship Rajratan,” it added.

Also Read | Pakistani boat apprehended near Gujarat coast with 60 packets of drugs, six crew members arrested

The incident comes a month after a boat carrying 60 packets of drugs was seized and six Pakistani crew members onboard the vessel were apprehended off the Gujarat coast in a multi-agency operation in March.

This operation was carried out on the basis of a tip-off by the Indian Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in the Arabian Sea near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

The operation was the second major anti-narcotics operation carried out by the agencies in the Arabian Sea in one month. Prior to that, on February 26, five foreign nationals were held off the Porbandar coast with 3,300 kg of narcotics, including charas.

Also Read | Cocaine worth ₹800cr seized from Kutch coast in Gujarat, probe on: Police

The NCB has conducted three major operations in the Indian Ocean with the Indian Navy over the last two years. In February 2022, they recovered 221 kg of methamphetamine from a ship off the Gujarat coast. Another 200 kg ofhigh-grade heroin was seized from a ship near the Kerala coast in October 2022.

In May last year, the NCB seized at least 2500 kg methamphetamine worth ₹12000 crore from a ship from Pakistan. The ship was intercepted in the Indian Ocean before it the drugs from it could be handed over to cartels in India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

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HT News Desk
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