Express News Service
AHMEDABAD: Drugs valued at Rs 2,000 crore in the international market were seized in a joint operation conducted by the Intelligence Unit of the Indian Navy and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the high seas surrounding Saurashtra-Kutch Coast.
The NCB on Saturday said it has seized over 763 kg of drugs worth about Rs 2,000 crores in the international market from the high seas along the western flank of the country in a joint operation with the Navy.
The seizure includes 529 kg of “very high-quality hashish (charas)”, 234 kg of the “finest quality of crystal methamphetamine” and some quantity of heroin, the federal anti-narcotics agency said in a statement. The consignment, packed in multiple bags, has been brought to the Porbandar coast in Gujarat.
“This is the first such operation in which the apprehension has been made in the high seas. The input on trafficking of drugs through the high seas was collected by NCB and shared with Naval intelligence unit, leading to the joint operation,” it said.
Officials did not immediately say the exact location from where the vessels carrying the narcotics were intercepted citing “security reasons”.
“The present seizure has dealt a blow to drug syndicates based out of our neighboring country which uses maritime route for the proliferation of drugs in India and other countries,” it added.
Until now, drugs were smuggled into India from the border of Kashmir and Punjab. However, these borders have been sealed now. So the drug mafias have now opted for the sea route to Gujarat to smuggle drugs. A large quantity of drugs has been seized in Gujarat during the last four to five years.
In July 2017, 1500 kg of heroin was seized from a merchant ship in the seas of Gujarat. In August 2018, two persons from Jam Salaya were caught with 5 kg of heroin. The investigation revealed that 100 kg of heroin was smuggled into India from Pakistan.
In January 2020, five Pakistanis were caught with 35 kg of heroin worth Rs 175 crore from a fishing boat, and in April 2021, eight Pakistanis were caught with a boat carrying 30 kg of heroin worth Rs 150 crore.
