The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in a joint operation with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Navy, has seized more than 500 kg of illegal drugs in the Arabian Sea from an Iranian ship on Friday. Seven Iranians were arrested during the bust.
The interception took place late last night off the coast of Porbandar. Authorities tracked an Iranian vessel via the Indian Maritime Border Line (IMBL) radar as it entered Indian waters, carrying a substantial consignment of narcotics reportedly en route to India.
The confiscated drugs, suspected to include heroin and other high-value narcotics, are estimated to hold a street value of several hundred crore rupees. Officials believe the consignment was intended for distribution in urban centres across India, with potential connections to international smuggling networks. They are also probing whether the narcotics originated in Pakistan, as past reports have indicated that drugs smuggled across the border may be used to finance terrorist activities.
“This operation was the result of months of strategic intelligence gathering and close cooperation among Gujarat ATS, the NCB, and maritime security forces, including the Indian Navy. The seizure of this Iranian vessel is a substantial disruption to the operations of international drug cartels in the area,” stated a senior officer from the Gujarat ATS.
This operation follows another major drug bust in Gujarat just three weeks ago, in which narcotics worth over Rs 250 crore were seized from the Avsar Enterprise in Ankleshwar, Bharuch district. In a previous operation, drugs valued at Rs 5,000 crore were confiscated from Aavkar Drugs Limited, also in Ankleshwar, underscoring Gujarat’s critical role in combatting drug trafficking.
More details are awaited.
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