In a joint operation at sea, the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday intercepted a suspicious boat off the coast of Gujarat, seizing nearly 3,300 kg of drugs. This seizure marks the largest in recent times in terms of quantity, according to a statement released by the Navy.
The vessel was apprehended near the International Maritime Boundary Line in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast. The confiscated drugs, along with the detained boat and crew, were handed over to law enforcement agencies at an Indian port.
Acting on intelligence provided by the P8I LRMR aircraft during a surveillance mission, an Indian Navy ship on mission deployment was redirected to intercept the suspicious dhow involved in drug smuggling.
“The seizure of drugs from the dhow, which is by far the largest in terms of quantity, was possible through the collaborative efforts of the Indian Navy’s mission-deployed assets with the NCB,” the statement noted.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the Indian Navy, the NCB, and the Gujarat Police for the successful operation. In a post on social media platform X, Shah said, ” Pursuing PM Modi Ji’s vision of a drug-free Bharat our agencies today achieved the grand success of making the biggest offshore seizure of drugs in the nation. In a joint operation carried out by the NCB, the Navy, and the Gujarat Police, a gigantic consignment of 3132 kg of drugs was seized.”
Pursuing PM @narendramodi Ji's vision of a drug-free Bharat our agencies today achieved the grand success of making the biggest offshore seizure of drugs in the nation. In a joint operation carried out by the NCB, the Navy, and the Gujarat Police, a gigantic consignment of 3132…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 28, 2024
Calling it a “historic success,” Shah said the operation underscores the government’s steadfast commitment to making India drug-free.