Coast Guard Seizes Drugs Worth ₹3,000 Crore
526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin recovered from Iranian boat; five Pakistani nationals detained
- Coast Guard seizes 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin.
- Drugs valued at over ₹3,000 crore recovered from Iranian boat.
- Five Pakistani nationals detained near Lakshadweep.
- Vessel and contraband brought to Mumbai for investigation.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 30th Sept: The Indian Coast Guard, in a joint operation with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), has seized 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin valued at more than ₹3,000 crore from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea, officials said on Wednesday.
Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were also detained during the operation, which was conducted near Lakshadweep on September 25, according to the Coast Guard.
Acting on intelligence inputs, Coast Guard assets conducted coordinated sea-air surveillance and tracked the suspicious dhow before launching a hot pursuit.
The vessel was intercepted and boarded west of Lakshadweep, where the contraband was recovered. The seized drugs included high-grade methamphetamine and heroin.
The vessel, its five-member crew and the seized narcotics were subsequently brought to Mumbai under armed escort for joint interrogation and further legal proceedings, the Coast Guard said.
The operation was carried out in coordination with the Gujarat ATS, which confirmed the apprehension of the five Pakistani nationals.
The state anti-terror agency is scheduled to brief the media separately on the operation and provide further details.
The seizure comes amid intensified efforts by Indian security agencies to curb transnational drug trafficking through maritime routes.
The Coast Guard said the operation demonstrated its surveillance and maritime interdiction capabilities and reflected its efforts to prevent illicit activities in India’s maritime zones.
According to the Coast Guard, the seizure is expected to disrupt the financial networks of international drug syndicates and prevent synthetic narcotics from reaching the Indian mainland.
Further investigation, including interrogation of the detained crew and examination of the vessel and seized material, is underway.
