India seizes $330 million heroin, meth from Iranian boat; 5 detained

Dubai: An Iranian boat carrying more than Rs30 billion ($338 million/more than Dh1.2 billion) worth of heroin and methamphetamine has been intercepted in the Arabian Sea, with five Pakistani nationals detained in what Indian authorities described as a major strike against an international drug-smuggling network.

The Indian Coast Guard said the vessel was caught west of Lakshadweep in a joint intelligence-led operation with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad on September 25.

Authorities seized 526kg of high-grade heroin and methamphetamine with an estimated international market value of more than Rs3,000 crore — or Rs30 billion, media reports said.

The nationality of the vessel and its Pakistani crew is expected to put the trafficking route and the network behind the massive consignment under intense scrutiny as investigators try to establish where the drugs originated, who financed the shipment and its intended destination.

There is, however, no evidence so far linking the Iranian government to the shipment.

Sea-air surveillance

The Coast Guard said the operation began after agencies received actionable intelligence about a suspicious vessel moving through the Arabian Sea.

Ships and aircraft were deployed for sea-air surveillance, allowing authorities to track the dhow before launching a hot pursuit and boarding it west of Lakshadweep.

Five Pakistani nationals operating the Iranian vessel were apprehended.

The dhow, its crew and the seized drugs were subsequently taken to Mumbai under armed escort, where several agencies are conducting a joint interrogation and further legal proceedings.

The Gujarat ATS has also confirmed the detention of the five Pakistani nationals and is expected to release further details of the operation.

The seizure highlights the continuing use of maritime routes for moving huge quantities of narcotics across the region.

Indian security agencies have intensified operations against transnational trafficking networks using the Arabian Sea to transport heroin and synthetic drugs.

The Coast Guard said the latest interception was aimed not only at stopping the drugs from reaching the mainland but also at disrupting the finances of international criminal syndicates.

It described the operation as a demonstration of its surveillance and maritime-interdiction capabilities and said it remained committed to stopping illicit activity in India's maritime zones.

The investigation will now focus on the wider network behind the consignment, including its source, financing and intended recipients.

With an Iranian vessel, a Pakistani crew and drugs worth more than Rs30 billion involved, investigators will also be seeking to establish how the dhow became part of the trafficking operation and whether other vessels or networks were involved.

-- With ANI inputs