Major drug haul off Gujarat coast, 6 Pakistani nationals arrested
In a major operation, authorities apprehended six Pakistani nationals allegedly trying to smuggle drugs worth Rs 400 crore near Porbandar in Gujarat. Acting on a tip-off, officials from the NCB, Coast Guard and ATS intercepted the group on a boat last night as they attempted to enter Indian waters.
As per the ATS, the accused aimed to traffic the banned substances to Delhi and Punjab via an Indian vessel. This is the second major drug seizure off Gujarat’s coastline in a month. On February 28, over 3,300 kg of narcotics valued over Rs 2,000 crore were confiscated from a boat with suspected Pakistani crew members.
Dubbed as the largest drug haul in the Indian subcontinent, the market value of the drugs surpassed Rs 2000 crore. The Coast Guard has intercepted drugs worth crores of rupees on multiple occasions at sea in the past as well.
Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the supply routes and networks involved. Stepped-up maritime security and intelligence sharing between agencies have aided the confiscation of huge drug consignments intended for distribution in Indian cities.
