India

Indian Coast Guard intercepts Pakistani boat off Gujarat coast, seizing 86kg narcotics worth Rs 600 crore; 14 crew arrested in overnight anti-narcotics operation.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted 86 kg of narcotics worth Rs 600 crore from a Pakistani boat off the Gujarat coast on Sunday. The 14 crew members who were attempting to smuggle the drugs into India were arrested and brought to Porbandar for further investigations.

"In a breathtaking overnight operation, Indian Coast Guard undertook an intelligence-based anti-narcotics operation at sea on 28 Apr 24. Approx 86 kg of narcotics worth Rs 600 crore has been apprehended along with 14 crew from the Pakistani boat," the ICG said.

The Coast Guard is yet to disclose what kind of narcotic substances were recovered from the Pakistani boat.

Coast Guard ships and aircraft were deployed for the operation, it said, adding that ICG ship Rajratan was used to identify the suspect boat with the help of NCB and ATS officials on board.

"No amount of evasive manoeuvring tactics employed by the drug-laden boat could save it from the swift and strong ICG ship Rajratan. The ship's specialist team embarked on the suspect boat and, after thorough checks, confirmed the presence of a sizable amount of narcotics," the Coast Guard said.

"The jointness of ICG and ATS, which has led to eleven such successful law enforcement operations in the last three years, itself reaffirms the synergy for national objectives," it added.