Amit Shah Praises Agencies After 526 Kg Narcotics Seized From Iranian Boat
Shah praises coordinated agencies after major Arabian Sea narcotics seizure.
Indian agencies have seized 526 kg of heroin and methamphetamine from an Iranian boat operating within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Arabian Sea, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday. The coordinated operation involved the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Indian Coast Guard and central intelligence agencies, with five Pakistani nationals aboard the vessel arrested.
Shah said the government remained committed to protecting the country’s youth from the threat of narcotics and praised the agencies involved in the operation. According to his post on X, the vessel was intercepted about 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai. The seized drugs are estimated by officials to be worth more than Rs 3,000 crore in the international market.
According to the Indian Coast Guard, the operation began on September 25 after agencies received actionable intelligence about a suspicious vessel. Coast Guard units conducted coordinated aerial and maritime surveillance before tracking the boat and launching a hot pursuit. Personnel subsequently boarded the Iranian dhow and recovered the narcotics, officials said.
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The vessel, its crew and the seized contraband were later escorted to Mumbai under armed security for joint interrogation and further legal proceedings. The operation was conducted in coordination with the Gujarat ATS as part of efforts to detect and disrupt suspected transnational maritime narcotics-smuggling networks. Authorities are now examining the circumstances surrounding the movement of the consignment and the involvement of those arrested.
Shah described the operation as demonstrating coordination and cooperation among the agencies involved in the interception. The seizure also highlights the role of maritime surveillance and intelligence-sharing in efforts to prevent narcotics consignments from reaching Indian territory through sea routes.
Investigators are continuing to determine the origin and intended destination of the seized drugs and establish the wider network allegedly connected to the suspected smuggling operation. Authorities are also examining the roles of the five Pakistani nationals arrested from the vessel as part of the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.
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