Rs 1,800 crore drug haul in Arabian Sea; Gujarat ATS, Coast Guard strike in high sea operation

Gandhinagar, April 14 (IANS) Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard intercepted and seized over 300 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, with an estimated street value of Rs 1,800 crore, from the Arabian Sea near the Indian Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

The joint operation, conducted between the night of April 12 and the early hours of April 13, was triggered by actionable intelligence regarding suspicious movements off the Gujarat coast, a region increasingly becoming the frontline in India’s war on drugs.

According to an official release from the Coast Guard, the operation involved a swift-response patrol vessel that approached the suspected area after receiving tip-offs from central intelligence agencies. Spotting the fast-approaching security vessel, the smugglers -- believed to be operating a fishing boat from foreign waters -- jettisoned the drug-laden cargo into the sea and made a rapid escape towards the IMBL, presumably to avoid apprehension. Divers and onboard personnel were then deployed in a meticulous recovery mission under challenging night-time conditions, ultimately retrieving several large packages of what is suspected to be high-grade methamphetamine.

The recovered contraband has been handed over to the Gujarat ATS, which has now launched a deeper investigation to trace the network behind the operation.

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, in a post on X, said it was a commendable joint operation by the Gujarat ATS and the Indian Coast Guard.

“On the night of April 12-13, 2025, they seized 300 kg of narcotics worth Rs 1800 crore off the IMBL near the Gujarat coast. The consignment was recovered at sea, and ATS is conducting further investigation. This successful operation showcases the strong inter-agency synergy in the fight against drug smuggling. - Operation Details: Joint operation by Gujarat ATS and Indian Coast Guard on April 12-13, 2025 - Seizure: 300 kg narcotics worth Rs 1800 crore - Location: Off IMBL near Gujarat coast - Investigation: ATS conducting further investigation,” Sanghavi wrote on his X handle.

He said, “This operation demonstrated the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in combating drug smuggling, similar to previous joint operations by Indian Coast Guard, NCB, and ATS that have resulted in significant seizures.”

The Indian Coast Guard also said the huge consignment was seized off the IMBL near the Gujarat coast. “The consignment was recovered at sea, and ATS is conducting further investigation. This successful operation showcases the strong inter-agency synergy in the fight against drug smuggling,” said the ICG in a post on its official X handle.

The Gujarat coastline, stretching 1,640 kilometers -- the longest among all Indian states -- has long posed a formidable surveillance challenge. Dotted with remote creeks, tidal inlets, and fishing harbors, particularly in the Kutch region, the area presents ideal conditions for traffickers seeking to infiltrate Indian waters without detection. The state’s proximity to the notorious ‘Golden Crescent’ -- a major global drug-producing region spanning Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan -- places it at the epicentre of narcotics smuggling routes entering the Indian subcontinent.

Gujarat has emerged as a critical battleground in India’s fight against narcotics trafficking, with several high-profile seizures in recent years underscoring the state’s vulnerability.

One of the most significant operations took place in February 2024 when Indian agencies intercepted an Iranian fishing boat off the Gujarat coast, seizing a record-breaking 3,300 kg of narcotics. Valued at over Rs 20,000 crore, it marked the largest offshore drug bust in Indian history and spotlighted the use of foreign vessels in deep-sea smuggling operations. Just a few months earlier, in November 2024, authorities seized 700 kg of methamphetamine from another Iranian vessel in the Arabian Sea. The contraband was hidden in sealed plastic containers and transferred mid-sea, suggesting a sophisticated, well-coordinated supply chain.

The estimated value of the drugs exceeded Rs 4,000 crore. Investigators suspected the consignment originated from Pakistan or Iran and was en route to India for local distribution. In April 2024, Indian law enforcement recovered 173 kg of hashish from a fishing boat near Porbandar. Unlike earlier seizures involving foreign vessels, this case involved an Indian boat believed to be operating for a Pakistan-based syndicate. Officials revealed that smugglers were increasingly relying on Indian nationals to receive mid-sea consignments and reduce suspicion.

The issue of narcotics smuggling through Gujarat came into the national spotlight in September 2021 with a massive seizure of 2,988 kg of heroin at Mundra Port in Kutch. The heroin, shipped from Afghanistan and routed through Iran, was concealed in containers labelled as talcum powder. Valued at Rs 21,000 crore, it was one of the biggest heroin busts globally and prompted widespread concern about port security and surveillance.

--IANS

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