3,300 kg of illegal drugs seized from boat off Gujarat coast, five held
This is the largest quantity of narcotics to be seized in recent years, the Navy said.
The Indian Navy seized a boat with 3,300 kg of illegal drugs off the coast of Gujarat, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. Five crew onboard the boat were also held.
The seized drugs include 3,089 kg of charas, 158 kg methamphetamine and 25 kg of morphine.
This is the largest quantity of narcotics seized in recent years, the Navy said. The operation was carried out jointly by the Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau.
The seized boat and the crew are Iranian, The Indian Express reported quoting unidentified officials.
#IndianNavy in a coordinated ops with Narcotics Control Bureau, apprehended a suspicious dhow carrying almost 3300Kgs contraband (3089 Kgs Charas, 158 Kgs Methamphetamine 25 Kgs Morphine).
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) February 28, 2024
The largest seizure of narcotics, in quantity in recent times.@narcoticsbureau pic.twitter.com/RPvzI1fdLW
The craft was towed by an Indian Navy warship to the nearest Indian port. The crew and the seized contraband were handed over to the law enforcement agencies on Tuesday, the ministry said.
The Navy’s mission-deployed warship was diverted to intercept and apprehend the suspected craft based on inputs from a maritime surveillance airplane.
Union home minister Amit Shah congratulated those involved in the operation. “The historic success is a testament to our government’s unwavering commitment to making our nation drug-free,” Shah added.
