Heroin worth Rs 350 cr seized from Pakistani boat off Gujarat coast

Gandhinagar: In a joint operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) have seized 50 kg heroin valued at Rs 350 crore in the international market and apprehended six Pakistani crew members from Indian waters near IMBL.

The crew members and boat are being brought to Jakhau for further joint investigation.

Gujarat's Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia told media persons on Saturday that ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police K K Patel had received a specific intelligence after which a vigil was being kept in the high sea along with the ICG team since the last two to three days.

The Officer said it is not necessary that Pakistani boat delivers drugs in the country, the drug is delivered to a Indian fishing boat in the high sea, that boat lands at the coast and makes inroads into the country.

The ICG said in a statement, "During night of 07/08 October 2022, on a specific intelligence input, ICG strategically deployed two fast interceptor class of ships, C-429 and C-454 for patrolling in area close to notional International Maritime Border Line (IMBL).

During midnight, a Pakistani boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters, 5 nm inside notional IMBL and 40 nm from Jakhau. On being challenged, the Pakistani boat started evasive maneuvering. However, both the ships intercepted the Pakistani boat and forced it to stop. On boarding the boat, thorough rummaging was undertaken during which 50 kg of narcotics, believed to be heroin, was found concealed in five gunny bags.

This is the sixth such joint operation by the ICG and ATS, Gujarat in the last one year and second such operation in less than a month when 40 kg of drugs was seized from a Pakistani boat on September 14.