New Delhi, September 30 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the seizure of 526 kg of narcotics and the arrest of five Pakistani nationals from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea off Lakshadweep were the outcome of a 16-day operation involving coordination among Indian security agencies.
Reacting to the Indian Coast Guard’s interception of the vessel, Shah said the Narendra Modi government was determined to protect the country’s youth from drug trafficking.
“Upholding a stellar example of coordination and cooperation among agencies, the 16-day-long operation also seized an Iranian boat,” Shah said in a post on X.
According to Shah, the joint operation involved the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), the Indian Coast Guard and central intelligence agencies. A total of 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin was seized from the boat in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The vessel was intercepted 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai. Five Pakistani nationals were arrested, and further investigation is underway to identify the wider trafficking network and its intended recipients, Shah said.
The Indian Coast Guard intercepted the vessel on September 25 following an operation against suspected narcotics trafficking along key maritime routes. Acting on intelligence inputs about an illicit consignment, Coast Guard personnel established radar contact with the suspicious dhow west of the Lakshadweep archipelago and launched a pursuit.
After sustained aerial and surface tracking, Coast Guard units pursued the vessel as it attempted evasive manoeuvres. Specialised boarding teams subsequently secured the boat and detained all five crew members without incident, according to an official Coast Guard statement.
A search of the vessel led to the recovery of 526 kg of high-grade narcotics, including heroin and methamphetamine, valued at more than Rs 3,000 crore, officials said.
The apprehended vessel and its crew were escorted to Mumbai harbour, where a multi-agency investigation is underway. Investigators are seeking to establish the network behind the consignment, trace its financial links and identify any domestic connections.
The Coast Guard said the operation reflected its preparedness to secure India’s maritime frontiers and combat organised crime and transnational drug-trafficking networks. It reiterated its commitment to supporting the government’s campaign for a drug-free India.
The seizure comes amid a wider government effort to curb narcotics trafficking through coordination between central and state agencies. Shah has previously said that efforts to combat drugs would also be extended to the district level.
An official cited in the report said that, with major cities under increased surveillance, some narcotics networks were attempting to shift their operations to smaller towns. The stated objective of the agencies is to dismantle 100 major international and inter-state drug syndicates operating in India.
According to figures cited by authorities, more than 1.18 crore kg of drugs, valued at around Rs 1.84 lakh crore, were seized by various agencies between 2014 and 2026. During the same period, 42.47 lakh kg of narcotics, valued at Rs 89,896 crore, were destroyed.
Authorities also reported that annual narcotics seizures reached a record level in 2024, with between 1,330 and 1,691 tonnes seized, representing a 55 per cent increase over 2023.
An Intelligence Bureau official said the government was working closely with international partners to tackle cross-border narcotics networks. The official also alleged that proceeds from the drug trade were used to finance terror networks, adding that disrupting narcotics cartels could therefore affect their funding.
The investigation into the Lakshadweep drug seizure is continuing, with agencies working to establish the origin, intended destination and wider network associated with the seized consignment.
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