Ahmedabad: The Indian Coast Guard, in a joint operation with the Gujarat ATS, has seized 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin valued at more than Rs 3,000 crore from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea, officials said on Wednesday.
Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were also detained in the operation carried out near Lakshadweep on September 25, the Coast Guard said in a statement.
Based on intelligence inputs, Coast Guard assets carried out sea-air surveillance and tracked the suspicious dhow before launching a hot pursuit and boarding it west of Lakshadweep, it said.
The seized contraband comprised high-grade methamphetamine and heroin, the Coast Guard said.
The vessel, its crew and the seized drugs were brought to Mumbai under armed escort for joint interrogation and further legal proceedings, it said.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad. The state ATS also confirmed the apprehension of five Pak nationals. It is scheduled to brief the media on the operation later in the day.
The seizure comes as security agencies step up efforts to curb transnational drug trafficking through the maritime route.
The Coast Guard said the operation demonstrated its surveillance and maritime interdiction capabilities and its commitment to preventing illicit activities in India’s maritime zones. The seizure would help disrupt the financial network of international drug syndicates and prevent synthetic drugs from reaching the mainland, it added.
