Ahmedabad, September 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Indian Coast Guard have seized 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin, valued at more than Rs 3,000 crore, from an Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea and apprehended five Pakistani nationals, officials said on Wednesday.
The narcotics were recovered from the Iranian vessel ‘Azad’ on September 25, around 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and approximately 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai.
The consignment comprised around 400 kg of methamphetamine and 126 kg of heroin. The vessel was subsequently brought to Mumbai for further investigation.
Gujarat ATS DIG Sunil Joshi said the agency had received intelligence about a meeting in Ahmedabad between a Nigerian national and a wanted Gujarat-based accused allegedly linked to a plan to import more than 500 kg of narcotics.
According to the ATS, the original plan was to transfer the consignment to a Tamil Nadu fishing boat in Indian waters, unload it along the Tamil Nadu coast and transport it onwards to Punjab.
“The drugs were ultimately intended for Punjab, from where they could have been distributed to other parts of north India,” officials said.
The investigation has also allegedly established a link with Pakistan-based drug smuggler Haji Salim. Joshi described him as a supplier and a key figure in the network.
“Haji Salim has his network in Punjab,” Joshi said, adding that the seized consignment was allegedly part of his network and had been sent by him.
The five Pakistani nationals apprehended aboard the ‘Azad’ are also suspected of being part of the same network, although their individual roles are still being investigated, officials said.
The ATS found that the vessel was equipped with a Starlink device, which provided internet connectivity while the boat was at sea. Officials said the device may have been used to communicate with handlers in Pakistan, including through WhatsApp calls.
The use of Starlink connectivity is now part of the investigation into how the alleged maritime drug network coordinated the movement of the consignment.
The Nigerian national who allegedly attended the Ahmedabad meeting is also under investigation. Joshi said Nigerians had emerged in several drug-trafficking networks as alleged intermediaries and peddlers, with some also operating networks within India.
“The Nigerian linked to the present case had appeared in connection with narcotics activity elsewhere, though not previously in a Gujarat ATS case,” he said.
The ATS said it had identified the intended receiver in Punjab but was withholding details while efforts to trace other members of the network continued.
“We know where it was supposed to go, but we will not disclose it at present,” Joshi said.
The intelligence was shared with the Indian Coast Guard headquarters in Delhi, following which a joint operation was launched. Gujarat ATS officers B.H. Korat and V.N. Vaghela were sent to Kochi and joined Coast Guard personnel for maritime surveillance.
The operation involved tracking suspicious vessels across a large maritime area. On September 25, the ‘Azad’ was located in the Arabian Sea and intercepted.
Officials said Coast Guard personnel used smaller boats to surround the vessel during the operation to prevent those aboard from throwing the narcotics into the sea.
The Indian Coast Guard said the operation resulted in the seizure of 526 kg of high-grade heroin and methamphetamine valued at over Rs 3,000 crore, along with the apprehension of five Pakistani crew members.
The arrested persons were identified as Mohammad Yakub Balochi, Shakirullah, Faridullah, Ahmad Khan and Wahidullah Khan, all residents of Peshawar, Pakistan.
Preliminary questioning indicated that the ‘Azad’ had sailed from the Konarak area of Iran and received the narcotics from a smaller boat that had originated from Gwadar, Pakistan, officials said.
A case has been registered by the Gujarat ATS. Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the alleged network, including the wanted Gujarat-based accused, the Nigerian intermediary and the intended receivers in Punjab.
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