Nearly a week after a boat carrying 232 kilograms worth of heroin was seized and eight Pakistani crew members were apprehended by the Coast Guard off the Gujarat coast, Mumbai police today registered a case against the crew.
We have registered a case at the Yellow Gate Police station against the eight Pakistani crew member, who were handed over by the Coast Guard. We have booked them under the relevant sections of Indian Penal Code, NDPS act and other Maritime acts.
–Krishna Prakash, Additional Commissioner of Police
Two days back, the Gujarat court had directed the Coast Guard to produce the eight accused in a special court in Mumbai for further legal proceedings as the local court does not have the powers to take up matters related to crimes committed in international waters.
For crimes committed in international waters, there are only two police stations in the country, where they can be registered. All the cases reported in international waters off the west coast go to the Yellow Gate police station in Mumbai, while in the east coast they are registered in Kolkata.
Multiple agencies, including the Intelligence, the Navy, Narcotics Control Bureau and the Coast Guard have interrogated the crew to unravel more about the facilitators on the Indian side who were coordinating running the smuggling trade.
The operation was launched on April 18 after receiving intelligence inputs, and was conducted in close coordination between the Navy and Coast Guard.
Two satellite phones had been used near the Porbander coast thanks to which the smugglers could be tracked by officials.
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The 232 Kg of heroin is estimated to be worth Rs. 600 crore in the international market.
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