A boat carrying 232 kgs of narcotics that are worth an estimated Rs 600 crore has been seized. Eight Pakistani nationals were also arrested in the joint intelligence-based operation by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard off the Gujarat coast. Watch visuals of the boat and the seized drugs here.
“In a closely coordinated operation undertaken by the Navy and Coast Guard, a boat carrying a large quantity of narcotics was apprehended in international waters, off the coast of Gujarat yesterday. The operation also resulted in apprehension of eight Pakistani nationals manning the boat,” ICG DIG S E Gupta said.
He said multiple agencies, including the intelligence, the Navy, Narcotics Control Bureau and the Coast Guard will interrogate the crew to unravel the facilitators running the smuggling trade.
“The joint interrogation (of the eight crew) will be held involving (officials of) police, Narcotics Control Bureau, Navy, Coast Guard and other stake-holders. On completion of the joint interrogation, the boat will be handed over to Narcotics Control Bureau,” Gupta said.
The crew were today paraded before media onboard the ICG vessel Sangram, which intercepted the boat. Packets of the seized contraband, satellite phones and GPS system were also displayed.
(With PTI inputs)