Indian Coast Guard, ATS bust smugglers off Gujarat coast; 300 kg drugs worth ₹1,800 crore recovered

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Coast Guard seized 300 kg of drugs worth ₹1,800 crore, which smugglers had dumped into the Arabian Sea, officials said on Monday.

Upon spotting the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship, the smugglers fled across the international maritime boundary. The joint operation took place near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Gujarat, during the intervening night of April 12 and 13, the officials said.

The ICG official release said that the seized contraband is believed to be methamphetamine and has been sent to the ATS for further investigation.

The release stated, “In an overnight operation on April 12-13, the Indian Coast Guard undertook an intelligence-based anti-narcotics operation at the sea jointly with the Gujarat ATS. More than 300 kg of narcotics, approximately valued at ₹1,800 crore, have been seized. The seized drug is suspected to be methamphetamine.”

It mentioned an ICG ship from the Coast Guard Region (West) was rerouted to that area in the sea near IMBL where a suspected boat's presence was spotted.

ICG ship chases suspect boat

“The ICG ship identified a suspect boat despite pitch dark night. On realising the approaching ship, the suspect boat dumped its narcotics consignment in the sea before it started fleeing towards the IMBL. The alert ICG ship deployed its sea boat immediately for recovery of the jettisoned consignment whilst commencing a hot chase of the suspect boat,” it added.

The Coast Guard team, after a proper search in the difficult night conditions, found the narcotics which were dumped into the sea, it said, stating, “the seized narcotics have been brought to Porbandar by the ICG ship for further investigation”.

Notably, it said the collaboration between two has led to 13 such successful law enforcement operations in recent years, stating it “reaffirms the synergy for national objective.”

(With inputs from PTI)