NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, APRIL 25
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) have jointly apprehended a Pakistani boat with nine crew members on board in the Arabian Sea near the state coast and seized 56 kg heroin worth Rs 280 crore from the boat in the wee hours of Monday, a defence spokesperson said on Monday.
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The Coast Guard ships intercepted and apprehended the Pakistani boat ‘Al Haj’ when it ventured into the Indian waters, the spokesperson said in a statement.
“In joint Ops with ATS Gujarat, India Coast Guard ships apprehended Pak ship Al Haj with 09 crew in the Indian side of the Arabian sea with heroin worth 280 crores. Boat being brought to Jakhau for investigation,” the PRO Defence Gujarat tweeted.
Pak boat was then towed to #Indian waters🇮🇳 by ICG 🚢 as primary evidence in illegal trans-shipment of narcotics
⛵ towed to Jakhau where #security agencies will undertake joint investigation
This is 3rd joint #Operations by @IndiaCoastGuard & ATS #Gujarat in 07 months (3/3) pic.twitter.com/VlKSJjHM7T
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) April 25, 2022
“We have arrested nine Pakistani nationals and seized 56 packets of heroin, each weighing 1 kg, from a boat that had entered into Indian waters from Pakistan,” said Amit Vishwakarma, inspector general of the anti-terror squad in Gujarat state.
Officials found heroin worth Rs 280 crore on the boat, the statement said, adding that the boat as well as its crew members were brought to Jakhau port in Gujarat’s Kutch district for further investigation by all investigation agencies..
This is the third such joint operation by the Indian Coast Guard and ATS, Gujarat in last seven months.
India has accused Pakistan of encouraging drug mafias to run networks across the border, a charge that Pakistan rejects.