NE NEWS SERVICE
PORT BLAIR, DEC 22
The Indian Coast Guard has apprehended a suspicious Myanmarese vessel near Little Andaman island, the maritime security agency said Saturday. The vessel, which was held along with six crew members for possessing banned drug Methaqualone , on December 22, is being escorted to Port Blair for further investigation, the Coast Guard said in a press release.
At about 1200 noon on Friday, CG Dornier sighted a non-Indian vessel operating east of little Andaman and not responding on VHF. ICGS Aruna Asaf Ali, on patrol, was diverted for investigation. Aruna Asaf Ali sighted the boat 125 nautical miles from nearest land, Little Andaman at 6 pm. The vessel failed to stop on being challenged by the ship. The ship fired three warning shorts in air and forced the vessel to stop.
The ship’s boarding party embarked the vessel at 6:15 pm. The vessel was found to be of Myanmarese origin with six crew onboard. Since the vessel was plying in Indian waters carrying unidentified items suspected of being contraband, the vessel was apprehended alongwith its crew.
A total of 250 packets weighing 01 kilogram each (approx) and 106 packets weighing 500 gms each (approx.) were recovered. The total weighing of the contraband is 303 Kgs (approx.). Each packet contains suspicious white crystalline substance. The ship carried out preliminary investigation with the available drug detection kit and found that the substance is a banned drug Methaqualone. Further, the crew failed to produce any supporting document.
The ship entered Port Blair alongwith apprehended boat and crew at 8 am on Sunday. NCB team ex-Kolkata carried out the preliminary investigation and reported that the substance is believed to be banned drug Methaqualone.
In last three months, this is the second catch of contraband during independent operation conducted by Indian Coast Guard at sea in Andaman and Nicobar Region. The ever vigilant and sustained efforts by Indian Coast Guard has resulted in apprehension of seventh boat involved in violation of various laws within the India EEZ in last six months.
