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New Delhi, March 12, 2024: In a joint operation Indian Coast Guard (ICG) apprehended a Pakistani Boat with six crew and narcotics on board, worth approximately Rs 480 crore, official sources said today.
The Boat was apprehended about 350 Km from Porbandar into Arabian Sea in a sea-air coordinated operation involving ICG ships and Dornier Aircraft, the sources said.
The overnight joint operation during intervening nights of 11 and 12 March exhibited well-coordinated efforts between ICG, NCB and ATS Gujarat, they added.
The Indian Coast Guard, on specific intelligence input from agencies, strategically positioned its ships in Arabian Sea yesterday. ICG also tasked its Dornier aircraft to scan and locate the boat in likely areas.
After an exhaustive search in area, the ICG Ships, with teams of NCB and ATS Gujarat, arrived the location and positively identified the boat which was moving suspiciously in dark.
On being challenged by ICG Ships, the boat started evasive manoeuvring, but was deftly chased and forced to stop by ICG ships. Boarding team immediately embarked the ship for preliminary checks and investigations.
The boat was found to be a Pakistani boat with six crew members. Investigation by the joint boarding team and rummaging of boat revealed approximately 80 Kg of drugs worth about Rs 480 crore, the sources said.
The boat along with crew has been apprehended and was being brought to Porbandar for further investigation.
This is the tenth apprehension by ICG, jointly with ATS Gujarat and NCB, in last three years, amounting to 517 Kg Narcotics worth Rs 3135 Crore.
