ICG seize Rs 3,000 crore drugs from Iranian boat headed for Tamil Nadu

AHMEDABAD: The Indian Coast Guard, in a joint operation with the Gujarat ATS, seized 526 kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin valued at more than Rs 3,000 crore from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep. The contraband was supposed to land on the Tamil Nadu coast after taking delivery mid-sea, officials said on Wednesday.

Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were also detained in the operation that was carried out on September 25, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Based on intelligence inputs, Coast Guard assets carried out sea-air surveillance and tracked the suspicious dhow before launching a hot pursuit and boarding it west of Lakshadweep, it said.

The vessel, its crew and the seized drugs were brought to Mumbai under armed escort for joint interrogation and further legal proceedings, it said.

Addressing a press conference here, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Deputy Inspector General of Police Sunil Joshi said the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about a consignment being smuggled from Iran into India via sea route. The suspected Iranian boat, identified as 'Azad', was intercepted on the evening of September 25, around 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and about 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai, Joshi said.

The intelligence indicated that a Nigerian national had recently met a Gujarat-based wanted accused and they had planned to smuggle more than 500 kg of methamphetamine and heroin from Iran into India, he said. Advance funds for the operation were allegedly routed through hawala channels, he added.

“It emerged from subsequent investigation that this boat was set to approach from waters near Lakshadweep and Mumbai to offload the delivery onto another boat from Tamil Nadu mid-sea,” Joshi said.

Following the intelligence input, an operational team comprising Gujarat ATS officers was deployed aboard an Indian Coast Guard ship.

The operation began on September 14 and continued for around 10 days before the vessel was intercepted, he said.

"Preliminary investigation indicates that after landing in Tamil Nadu, the consignment was destined for transfer up to Punjab to a Nigerian handler," Joshi said.

An FIR has been registered and legal proceedings have been initiated at the Gujarat ATS police station, Joshi said.

Pakistan drug lord under lens, say officials

Sources told DT Next that the consignment is suspected to be linked to Pakistan national Haji Salim, a Dubai-based international drug trafficker who was allegedly involved in previous cases of largescale smuggling of narcotics and arms to India.

The drugs usually reach Kanniyakumari by boat, from where it is moved in another boat to Negombo, a small port city on Sri Lankan west coast near Colombo, said officials, adding that the large quantity of narcotics indicate that it was meant for international trade.  

• Intelligence indicated that a Nigerian national had recently met a wanted Gujarat-based accused and they planned to smuggle more than 500 kg of methamphetamine and heroin from Iran into India

• The Indian Coast Guard, in a joint operation with the Gujarat ATS, carried out sea-air surveillance

• The boat was set to approach from waters near Lakshadweep and Mumbai to offload the delivery to the Tamil Nadu coast

• After landing in Tamil Nadu, the consignment was destined for transfer up to Punjab to a Nigerian handler

• The operation began on September 14 and continued for around 10 days before the vessel was intercepted