3,300 kg drugs seized by Navy

New Delhi, February 28

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In a coordinated operation on India’s west coast, the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) apprehended a suspicious vessel carrying almost 3,300 kg contraband (3089 kg charas, 158 kg methamphetamine and 25 kg morphine). Five foreign nationals have been arrested in this connection.

The operation began after the Navy’s maritime surveillance aircraft located a suspicious dhow (small vessel). After NCB corroborated things, an Indian Navy warship, deployed for anti-piracy duties, was pressed into action to intercept the suspicious dhow en route to the Indian waters with sizeable contraband. “Indian Navy units successfully located, tracked and intercepted the suspicious boat at sea,” the Ministry of Defence said

The dhow was boarded by Indian Navy personnel and the search resulted in a large seizure of narcotics. Subsequently, the boat was towed by the warship to the nearest Indian port for handing over the crew and contraband to Law Enforcement Agencies.

“This operation is significant, not only in terms of quantity and cost of the seized contraband, but also because it highlights the collaborative efforts between the Indian Navy and the NCB for disruption of the narcotics’ smuggling routes,” the MoD said.