700 kg meth seized in NCB-Navy-Gujarat ATS joint Op off Porbandar coast; 8 foreigners arrested

The seizure and arrests were made on Friday as part of Operation Sagar-Manthan launched earlier this year to target drug trafficking through Maritime routes

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in coordination with the Navy and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), has seized 700 kg of Methamphetamine off the coast of Porbandar and arrested eight foreigners, who claimed that they were Iranian nationals.

The seizure and arrests were made on Friday as part of Operation Sagar-Manthan launched earlier this year to target drug trafficking through Maritime routes.

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NCB Deputy Director General (Ops) Gyaneshwar Singh said the contraband was found on a vessel in the territorial waters of India. The right foreign nationals were not carrying any identification documents.

The fourth Sagar-Manthan operation was launched following inputs about an un-registered vessel, which did not have any Automatic Identification System installed on it, carrying drugs into the Indian territorial waters.

The vessel was identified and intercepted by the Navy by mobilising its mission-deployed maritime patrol assets.

“Investigations to identify the backward and forward linkages of the drug syndicate are on for which help of foreign DLEAs (Drug Law Enforcement Agencies) is being be taken. This operation is also a great example of inter-agency cooperation and coordination,” said Mr. Singh.

Under Operation Sagar Manthan, a series of such maritime exercises have been undertaken in coordination with the Navy and Coast Guard and till now about 3,400 kg of various narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, while 11 Iranian and 14 Pakistani nationals have been arrested in three cases. They are currently in judicial custody awaiting trial.

“These significant operational achievements in the Indian territorial waters are a testament to our resolve to eradicate the scourge of drugs from India to realise our vision of a Nasha Mukt Bharat by 2047 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah,’ said Mr. Singh.

He said to further enhance the capacities of Law Enforcement Agencies to deal with the menace of drug trafficking and drug abuse the Central government recently created 111 posts in the NCB including five Superintendent of Police level posts, in addition to the 425 posts created in the past two years.

Published - November 15, 2024 03:30 pm IST