In a significant operation, the Indian Coast Guard has successfully seized more than five tonnes of synthetic narcotic illicit substances, suspected to be Methamphetamine, near Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The entire operation involved a coordinated air-sea cooperation, in which a Dornier-228 maritime surveillance aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard initially detected and tracked a suspicious foreign fishing vessel.
Immediately upon detection, the rapid patrol boats were sent to intercept the ship, which was found carrying six foreign crew members aboard it. The seized vessel was put under custody in the Andaman Sea, within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone, and has since been taken to Port Blair for further investigation. Port Blair serves as the Joint Command for the Indian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, and Air Force, and also has the regional headquarters for the Andaman and Nicobar Command of the Indian Coast Guard.
Monitoring illicit activities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a chain of over 550 islands, is a challenging task. The seizure happened just weeks after India conducted its largest-ever Maritime Security drill, called Exercise Sea Vigil-2024, involving the tri-services, six central ministries, and 21 law enforcement agencies.
The rescue operation was performed amidst adverse weather conditions since a cyclone was brewing over the Bay of Bengal. According to reports from the Indian Meteorological Department, a low-pressure system over the southeastern part of the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression by the morning of November 25, which thus caused bad weather, blustery winds, and rough seas.
This seizure represents the largest single contraband haul in the nearly 50-year history of the Indian Coast Guard, which has been pivotal in maritime law enforcement within India’s expansive Exclusive Economic Zone of 2.4 million square kilometers. Typically, the Coast Guard’s annual contraband seizures are in the range of 1 to 1.5 tonnes. The recent operation, however, resulted in the unprecedented capture of over five tonnes in a single day from one vessel.
Drawing from earlier evaluations of Methamphetamine confiscations, the market valuation of this recent shipment has the potential to attain billions of US dollars, considerably exceeding ₹8,400 crore.
