Nine Iranian Suspects Apprehended With 100 kg Heroin by Joint Mid-sea Operation in Gujarat Coast

A joint operation by Indian Coast Guard, Marine Task Force and Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad was formed to catch the smugglers based on a tip-off.

Written by: India.com News Desk Edited by: Kanimozhi Sudhakar

Published: March 27, 2019, 1:34 PM IST

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Indian Coast Guard along-with ATS Officers has apprehended 9 Iranian nationals from a boat. Photo Credit: ANI

Porbandar: Nine suspected smugglers from Iran were allegedly caught by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Marine Task Force and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Wednesday morning. In the joint mid-sea operation, 100 kg of heroin was seized which is suspected to have been supplied from Pakistan to a receiver in Gujarat. The narcotics drugs were smuggled in Gujarat through the sea.

With prior information on the smuggling plan, the ATS officials had immediately shared the tip-off to the Indian Coast Guard and Marine Task Force. Soon a joint operation was launched to catch the smugglers who had allegedly smuggled in a dhow of Iran, which will be loaded in Pakistan. The officers of ATS began their search operation after boarding the Indian Coast Guard’s Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV). The Marine Task Force commandos were in their boats at the territorial waters to help in the joint operation.

Indian Coast Guard along-with ATS Officers has apprehended 9 Iranian nationals from a boat& seized approx 100 kg contraband Heroin, off Gujarat coast.Approx value of the contraband is estimated to be Rs 500 Crores. The crew of the boat had set the boat ablaze to destroy evidence. pic.twitter.com/l95Mg0nCZl

— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2019

ATS officials were quoted by a leading daily as saying, “The information was limited and only communication frequency was known to identify the smuggler’s boat. After more than 24 hours of search, a suspicious boat was identified while making attempt to communicate in the particular frequency.” The officials added that when apprehension became inevitable, the crew set the boat on fire in order to destroy the evidence. Great risk was undertaken by the officers and personnel of the ICG ship with the help of ATS officers to apprehend the nine smugglers. After the fire, the ICG ship tried to douse the flames. However, the fire was uncontrollable due to the presence of 24,000 litres of fuel and few gas cylinders. Eventually, the boat sank.