In less than a month, India seizes vessel with drugs off Gujarat coast, 6 arrested

The boat carrying drugs worth about $58 million originated from Pakistan.

• Shubham
• 12 March, 2024

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By: Shubham Ghosh

INDIAN officials on Tuesday (12) intercepted a boat originating from Pakistan with drugs worth about $58 million (£45.4 million) off the coast of Gujarat, its western state bordering the neighbouring country.

Six Pakistani nationals were arrested following the interception, officials said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, officials of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau, Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat anti-terrorism squad (ATS) caught the men on the boat when they were trying to enter the Indian territory on Monday (11) night.

According to Gujarat ATS, the six arrested men were trying to smuggle banned drugs to the Indian capital of Delhi and northern territory of Punjab using an Indian boat.

#WATCH | Porbandar: Six Pakistanis were nabbed with a huge quantity of drugs in a joint operation of Gujarat ATS, Indian Coast Guard and NCB. Drugs worth Rs 480 crores were seized

(Visuals of the boat that was seized) https://t.co/ukUY5vuqVv pic.twitter.com/PLDmv934tN

— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2024

Bhupendra Patel, chief minister of Gujarat, congratulated the ATS over the arrests and announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh (£9,456) for the officials.

Second major incident in less than a month

This is the second major drugs consignment seized off the coast of the Indian state in less than a month. On February 28, at least 3,300 kilograms of drugs were seized from a boat manned by people suspected to be Pakistanis. The intercepted substance reportedly had a market value of more than Rs 2,000 crore (£189.11 million).

Indian personnel also intercepted a boat that entered Indian waters from Pakistan in April 2023, arresting nine Pakistani nationals from the vessel and seizing drugs estimated to be worth $37 million (£29 million).

India has in the past accused Pakistan of encouraging drug mafia groups to run operations across the border. The latter has denied the charges.

On Tuesday, the boat was caught about 350 kilometres off the Indian coast, the Indian defence ministry said.

“The boat along with crew has been apprehended and is being brought to Porbandar (in Gujarat) for further investigation,” it added.

India and Pakistan are uneasy neighbours and have fought three wars – two of them over the Muslim-majority Kashmir region, which they both claim in full.