The ship’s five crew members, all Pakistani nationals, have been arrested.
In a joint operation, the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday seized around 3,300 kg of drugs from a ship near Porbandar in Gujarat, the largest such drug seizure in recent times, the Navy said.
On Tuesday, the Navy intercepted a small vessel and recovered over 3089 kg of hashish, 158 kg of methamphetamine and 25 kg of morphine. The ship’s five crew members, all Pakistani nationals, have been arrested.
Although officials are yet to reveal the total value of the seized drugs, news agency PTI said one kilogram of hashish is worth Rs 7 crore in international markets.
#Indian Navy In a coordinated operation with Narcotics Control Bureau, a suspicious dhow carrying approximately 3300 kg of contraband (3089 kg of Charas, 158 kg of Methamphetamine and 25 kg of Morphine) was intercepted.
Largest seizure of narcotics in terms of quantity in recent times.@Narcotics Bureaupic.twitter.com/RPvzI1fdLW– SpokespersonNavy (@IndianNavy) 28 February 2024
“The seizure of drugs from the vessel, which is the largest ever in terms of quantity, was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the mission-deployed assets of the Indian Navy along with the NCB. The contraband was seized along with the captured boat and crew. It has been handed over to the law enforcement agencies at the Indian port, the Indian Navy said in a statement.
A senior Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officer told news agency PTI that the operation was conducted in the Arabian Sea near the International Maritime Boundary Line.
The Indian Navy said a suspicious dhow (sailing ship) was spotted in the sea near Porbandar by a surveillance aircraft, following which a vessel was diverted to intercept the vessel, believed to be carrying narcotics. Was engaged in smuggling.
“Based on inputs from P8I LRMR aircraft on surveillance mission, the ship deployed on IN mission was diverted to intercept the dhow suspected to be engaged in smuggling,” the Navy said.
The massive drug bust comes a week after 1,100 kg of Mephedrone, also known by its street name ‘Meow Meow’, worth Rs 2,500 crore was seized in two-day raids in Pune and New Delhi .
While 700 kg of Mephedrone was seized in Pune and 400 kg of the banned drug was found in Delhi.
