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Pakistani boat with 40 Kg Heroin worth Rs 200 crore seized; 6 crew arrested

The state ATS and the Coast Guard had foiled similar attempts of drug smuggling in the past also and caught foreign nationals with huge quantities of narcotics which they planned to smuggle into India via the Gujarat coast.

Six Pakistani nationals held by Gujarat ATS off coast with drugs worth Rs 200 crore: Report AJR
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First Published Sep 14, 2022, 11:39 AM IST

In a major recovery, the Indian Coast Guard and the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad detected and apprehended a Pakistani boat with six crew in Indian waters that was carrying 40 kg of Heroin worth Rs 200 crore on board.

The operation was carried out based on intelligence input from the Gujarat ATS. In a statement, the Coast Guard said that in the intervening night of September 13-14, the ICG strategically deployed two fast interceptor class of ships -- C-408 and C-454 -- for patrolling in an area close to the notional International Maritime Border Line (IMBL). 

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Speaking to reporters, a senior official said, "The heroin was meant to be transported to Punjab by road after being offloaded on the Gujarat coast. Based on a specific tip-off, we intercepted the boat which left from Pakistan and caught six Pakistani nationals with 40 kg of heroin."

Around midnight, the Pakistani boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters, five nautical miles inside notional IMBL and 40 nautical miles from Jakhau. On being challenged, the Pakistani boat over boarded a consignment and started evasive manoeuvring. The consignment, which was later recovered by one of the Coast Guard ships, was found to be a drug consignment. The other Coast Guard ship, braving rough seas, out-manoeuvred and stopped the boat.

Six Pakistani nationals held by Gujarat ATS off coast with drugs worth Rs 200 crore: Report AJR

The state ATS and the Coast Guard had foiled similar attempts of drug smuggling in the past also and caught foreign nationals with huge quantities of narcotics which they planned to smuggle into India via the Gujarat coast.

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Earlier in August, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) had detained six persons in connection with the seizure of 225 kilograms of party drug mephedrone worth Rs 1,125 crore during a raid at an under-construction factory near Vadodara city.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the seized mephedrone was manufactured at a chemical factory in Saykha village in Bharuch district of the state before being processed at this under-construction facility in Savli taluka of Vadodara district.

Mephedrone, also known as 'meow meow' or MD drug, is a synthetic stimulant banned under the NDPS Act.

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