NCB-Navy-Gujarat ATS joint operation makes largest ever offshore drug seizure

Largest offshore drug seizure in India, worth ₹1,200 crore, leads to arrest of five with suspected Pakistan links.

A joint operation of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Indian Navy, and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad, on Tuesday led to the seizure of about 3,300 kg of drugs from a dhow about 60 nautical miles off the coast in the Indian Ocean and the arrest of five foreign nationals with suspected Pakistan links. It is the largest ever offshore drug seizure in the country.

The contraband, including 3,110 kg of hashish, 158.30 kg of crystalline powder Methamphetamine, and 24.60 kg of suspected heroin, is estimated to worth about ₹1,200 crore. Preliminary findings indicate that it was being smuggled via Chabahar port in Iran.

“Based on the input of a P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft on surveillance mission, a warship deployed in the area was diverted to intercept the suspicious dhow engaged in contraband smuggling,” the Navy said.

Congratulating the agencies through an X post, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said: “Pursuing PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision of a drug-free Bharat, our agencies today achieved the grand success of making the biggest offshore seizure of drugs in the nation...the historic success is a testament to our govt’s unwavering commitment to making our nation drug-free...”

NCB Director General S.N. Pradhan told the mediapersons that the operation codenamed ‘Sagar Manthan-I’ was one of the five such recent exercises undertaken in association with sister agencies like the Navy, Coast Guard, intelligence and other drug enforcement agencies agencies, and police of various States, made possible through the Centre’s initiative to set up the National Narcotics Coordination Portal in 2019.

Sharing the details, NCB Deputy Director-General (Ops) Gyaneshwar Singh the agency initially got a tip-off that a foreign unregistered fishing vessel would enter the Indian waters with over 3,000 kg of drugs. It was to deliver the contraband to a fishing boat suspected to be coming in from Tamil Nadu, around 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Tuesday, at a particular point.

Based on the tip-off, a joint team of the NCB Operations branch, Navy and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad was constituted. The Navy mobilised its mission-deployed maritime patrol aircraft and warship, following which the boat was intercepted early on Tuesday morning. The vessel was towed to Gujarat’s Porbandar by the warship for further action.