Ahmedabad: In one of the biggest maritime drug busts in recent times, Indian authorities have recovered 526 kg of suspected heroin and methamphetamine, valued at more than ₹3,000 crore, from an Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea.
The operation, carried out by the Indian Coast Guard in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), led to the arrest of five Pakistani nationals who were allegedly manning the vessel. The dhow has been taken to Mumbai, where the crew members and the seized consignment will be subjected to further investigation.
The vessel was reportedly carrying the drugs from the Lakshadweep region when it came under the agencies’ radar. Acting on intelligence inputs shared by the Gujarat ATS, the Central Intelligence Agency and other intelligence units, the Coast Guard launched a coordinated operation to locate and intercept the dhow.
The suspicious vessel was tracked for a considerable period through sustained surveillance. After a hot pursuit, Coast Guard personnel intercepted it and boarded the dhow in a tactical operation.
A detailed search of the vessel resulted in the recovery of the narcotics, dealing a major setback to an alleged international drug-trafficking syndicate operating through the sea route, as reported by The New Indian Express.
In a post on social media, the Indian Coast Guard said the operation was conducted jointly with the Gujarat ATS and the Central Intelligence Agency.
“The operation has successfully neutralised a major transnational narcotics-smuggling channel. The Indian Coast Guard remains fully committed to securing the country’s maritime borders, dismantling international drug syndicates and protecting India from organised transnational crime as part of the mission towards a Nasha-Mukt Bharat,” the Force said.
The five Pakistani nationals are being interrogated by the authorities to determine where the drugs were sourced, who owned the consignment and where it was supposed to be delivered. Investigators are also working to identify other members of the network allegedly linked to the operation.
The latest seizure comes as Gujarat intensifies its campaign against narcotics trafficking. Since 2021, Gujarat Police has confiscated 87,607 kg of drugs valued at ₹16,155 crore and arrested over 2,500 people in separate cases.
The DGP Committee has also sanctioned rewards totalling ₹51,202 for 64 individuals who assisted authorities in the state’s anti-drug operations.