Police in India said they have sought information from Elon Musk’s Starlink after they discovered drug smugglers using the satellite internet device to navigate Indian waters and reach the shore of the country. Starlink claims to offer superfast broadband “almost anywhere on Earth”.
However, permission is still needed to offer coverage in India or India’s territorial waters. Last week, the Indian Coast Guard said they had discovered the device on a Myanmar boat they had seized near the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Authorities said this was the biggest bust of its kind by the Coast Guard. They reportedly seized 6,000kg (13,227 lb) of methamphetamine from the boat. Police estimated it was worth $4.25bn (£3.35bn).
The police of the Indian archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar have arrested six Myanmar nationals in the case. Starlink has been targeting India since 2021, but regulatory hurdles delayed its arrival. The firm also faces stiff competition from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio.
Last week’s incident put all the authorities on alert since Starlink’s mini device bypassed legal channels,” Hargobinder S Dhaliwal, police chief of the Andaman Islands, said on Monday. The company website describes the device as “a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack”.
Starlink had started to be used from the journey in Myanmar, said Mr Dhaliwal. They directly operated [phones] with satellite, creating a Wi-Fi hotspot,” he added.
Andaman police say they have since written to Starlink, asking for details of the device, including who bought it, when, and how it’s been used since its purchase. They are also investigating the involvement of any local or foreign syndicates in transporting the drug.
