The Indian Coast Guard ship on Tuesday intercepted a Pakistani Fishing Boat ‘Al-Madina’ off Jakhau in Gujarat coast and recovered around 194 packets of suspicious substance, suspected to be Heroin, worth around Rs 400 to 500 crore, from the boat.
According to a Defence Spokesperson, at around 1900 hrs on Monday, the Indian Coast Guard received inputs from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and other intelligence agencies that a Pakistani fishing boat is waiting near the International Maritime Boundary Line, to deliver narcotics to a receiver, off the Jakhau coast.
‘Accordingly, the ICGS which was in the patrolling area, was diverted to intercept the suspected boat. Also, two fast Interceptor Boats of ICG were deployed from nearby CG stations to augment the operation. In the morning hours of Tuesday, the Coast Guard ship finally intercepted Pakistani Fishing Boat Al-Madina off Jakhau coast.
‘The ICG Ship chased the foreign boat and succeeded in boarding and taking control of the situation in the Indian waters, despite rough sea conditions.
‘Meanwhile, the crew jettisoned/threw the bags containing the suspicious material in the water. However, the Coast Guard ships boarding party took the Pakistani crew in its custody and managed to retrieve seven bags from water.
‘Preliminary testing of one of the packets by a drug detection kit, the material revealed to be likely Narcotics. The approximate cost of the seized Narcotics is Rs 400-500 crore, which will depend proportionately on purity of the narcotics.
‘The rummaging of boat is in progress. The Pakistani boat will be taken either to Jakhau or other CG station for further interrogation of crew, rummaging by all other law enforcement and Intelligence agencies and for further legal action.
Earlier in March this year, 100 kg Heroine was seized in a joint operation by the ICG and ATS, Ahmedabad, based upon input off Porbandar coast. This is the second incidence in this year, when the ICG has seized such a large quantity of Heroin from the coast of Gujarat.
