New Delhi: In a joint operation, the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized around 3,300 kg of drugs from a ship near Gujarat’s Porbandar, making it the biggest such drug seizure in recent times, the Navy said. On February 27, a small ship was intercepted by the Navy and over 3,089 kg of charas, 158 kg of methamphetamine and 25 kg of morphine worth ₹ 1,300 crore was recovered. The ship’s five crew, all Pakistani nationals, have been arrested.
While officials are yet to specify the total value of the drugs seized, media reports said one kg of charas is priced at ₹ 7 crore in international markets. “The seizure of drugs from the dhow, which is by far the largest in terms of quantity, was possible through the collaborative efforts of the Indian Navy’s mission-deployed assets with the NCB. The contraband along with the apprehended boat and crew have been handed over to the Law Enforcement Agencies at an Indian port,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.
The operation was conducted in the Arabian Sea near the International Maritime Boundary Line, a senior official of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) said. Indian Navy said a suspicious dhow (sailing vessel) was spotted at sea near Porbandar by a surveillance aircraft after which a ship was diverted to intercept the vessel believed to be engaged in drug smuggling.
“Based on the input of P8I LRMR aircraft on surveillance mission, IN mission-deployed ship was diverted to intercept the suspicious dhow engaged in contraband smuggling,” the Navy said.
