Pakistani Boat Carrying Drugs Worth Rs 480 Crore Intercepted Near Gujarat Coast

6 people onboard a Pakistani boat were nabbed with 80 kg of drugs worth Rs 480 crore. The vessel was intercepted off the Gujarat coast in a joint operation of the ATS, NCB, and ICG on the night of March 11.

All six Pakistani nationals who were onboard have been arrested.

According to Sunil Joshi, superintendent of police for ATS, a tip led the Indian Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) to collaborate on an operation in the Arabian Sea close to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Joshi said, “A vessel carrying nearly 60 packets of contraband was seized around 180 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast. The boat with six Pakistani crew members is now being brought in for further investigation.”

The boat was seized in a coordinated sea-air operation including ICG ships and Dornier aircraft, according to a statement from NCB.

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The NCB said, “The operation exhibited well-coordinated efforts between ICG, NCB, and ATS Gujrat.”

It was further informed by the NCB that, “This is the tenth apprehension by ICG, jointly with ATS Gujarat and NCB, in last three years, amounting to 517 kg Narcotics worth Rs 3,135 crores.”

“ICG also tasked its Dornier aircraft to scan and locate the boat in likely areas. After an exhaustive search in the area, the ICG Ships, with teams of NCB and ATS Gujarat, arrived at the location and positively identified the boat which was moving suspiciously in the dark,” the Coast Guard further stated.

After being approached by the Coast Guard ships, the vessel started maneuvering and was later chased and stopped.

The boat was seized in a coordinated sea-air operation including ICG ships and Dornier aircraft, according to a statement from NCB.

The type of drugs and their value are yet to be determined as the boat is being brought to the shore.

In less than a month, the agencies have conducted two significant anti-narcotics operations in the Arabian Sea. On February 26, 3,300 kg of drugs, including charas, were seized from five foreign nationals off the coast of Porbandar.