Pakistani boat carrying Rs 600-cr drugs seized off Gujarat coast, 14 held

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

A Pakistani boat with 86 kg narcotics worth Rs 600 crore and 14 crew members, all nationals of that country, was seized at sea west of Porbandar, Gujarat. All crew members were arrested.

The Indian Coast Guard, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat, and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) carried out the joint operation. The NCB named the operation Sagarmanthan-II and said this was the third successful big maritime joint operation in the past 70 days. In February this year, 3,300 kg narcotics were seized and in March, 62 kg narcotics were seized.

Sagarmanthan-II third big joint operation in 70 days

• The Indian Coast Guard, Anti-Terrorism Squad, Gujarat, and the Narcotics Control Bureau carried out the joint operation
• The NCB named the operation Sagarmanthan-II and said it was the third successful big maritime joint operation in 70 days
• The drug-laden boat tried to evade the Coast Guard. Along with its crew, it was being brought to Porbandar for investigation

The ATS had a tip-off regarding a foreign boat coming to the Indian waters with narcotics and foreign nationals aboard. In the early hours of April 26, the boat was spotted in the Indian waters.

Ships and aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard were deployed on concurrent missions as part of the operation. ICGS Rajratan, a coast guard vessel, took the lead. Officials of the NCB and the ATS were ferried on board another coast guard vessel to ICGS Rajratan and they identified the suspect boat. The drug-laden boat tried to evade the Coast Guard. ICGS Rajratan pressed into service the ship’s specialist team, which embarked on the suspect boat. After a thorough check, it confirmed the presence of a sizeable amount of narcotics.

The Pakistan boat along with its crew was confiscated and was being brought to Porbandar for further investigations. The Coast Guard said 11 such successful “law enforcement operations” had been carried out in the past three years.

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