700 kg drugs seized, 8 'Iranians' held along Gujarat coast

A joint operation by anti-narcotics agencies led to the seizure of about 700 kg of drugs and the arrest of eight foreign nations claiming to be Iranians from Indian territorial waters off the Gujarat coast around Porbandar on Friday.

The operation was carried out jointly by the NCB, Navy and Gujarat Police Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS).

The street value of the seized Methamphetamine or meth, a synthetic recreational variety of narcotics, could be anywhere between Rs 2,500-3,500 crore in the international market, according to Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials.

These eight men are currently in the custody of NCB at Porbandar and will be produced before a local court on Saturday for acquiring their remand, said an official.

In a release, NCB said the seizure was part of Operation 'Sagar Manthan', which targets maritime trafficking of drugs.

An operation codenamed 'Sagar Manthan- 4' was launched based on intelligence inputs to intercept an un-registered vessel, without an AIS (automatic identification system) or an electronic boat or ship-tracking indicator, that will be entering the Indian waters with drugs, the NCB said in a statement.

The suspect vessel was identified and 'interdicted' by the Navy by mobilising its maritime patrol assets (ships) and the seizure of the drugs and apprehensions took place on Friday, it said.

'A huge consignment of about 700 kg of Methamphetamine was interdicted in Indian Territorial waters. During this operation, eight foreign nationals were arrested who claim to be Iranians. The eight men do not have any identity documents. All these foreigners are currently lodged in jail awaiting court trial,' the NCB said.

'Investigation to identify the backward and forward linkages of the drug syndicate are on for which help of foreign DLEAs is being taken. This operation is also a great example of Inter-agency cooperation and coordination,' said an official release.

The Indian Navy in a 'coordinated operation' with the NCB and Gujarat Police intercepted a suspicious boat leading to the seizure of the drugs, a Navy spokesperson said in New Delhi.

"This is the second major successful coordinated anti-narcotics operations at sea by the Navy this year," he said.

The Navy said it is committed to ensuring a safe and secure maritime environment while preventing illegal use of the seas.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the operation stands out as a stellar example of the government's commitment to the vision and the seamless coordination among our agencies in achieving the same.

'Pursuing PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision for a drug-free Bharat, our agencies today busted an international drug trafficking cartel and seized over approx. 700 kg of contraband meth in Gujarat,' Shah wrote on X.

The NCB said 'these significant operational achievements in the Indian territorial waters are a testament to our resolve to eradicate the scourge of drugs from India to realize our vision of a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' (drugs-free India) by 2047'.

The NCB said the Union government has recently created 111 posts, including five superintendent of police-level posts, in the agency in addition to 425 posts created over the last two years.

Operation Sagar Manthan was launched early this year by constituting a team of officers from NCB, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS to counter the threat to national security emanating from maritime trafficking of illicit drugs, said the release.

A series of such maritime operations have been launched by NCB in coordination with other agencies.

Till now about 3,400 kilograms of various drugs and psychotropic substances have been seized, leading to the arrest of 11 Iranians and 14 Pakistani nationals in three cases so far, the release said.