In a significant blow to international drug trafficking networks, Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in collaboration with the Indian Navy, have successfully seized over 700 kilograms of illegal drugs in a high-seas operation off the coast of Porbandar. This operation marks one of the largest drug busts ever conducted in the region. The joint teams have also arrested eight Iranian nationals.
The operation, which began late last night, was carried out in the waters of the Arabian Sea. Authorities intercepted a large consignment of narcotics being transported by an Iranian boat en route to India. The shipment was detected by the Indian Maritime Border Line (IMBL) radar, which tracked the vessel as it entered Indian waters, enabling the authorities to carry out a precise interception.
The drugs, believed to include heroin and other narcotics, have a street value running into several hundred crores. Officials confirmed that the shipment was intended for distribution across India and potentially other countries, with the narcotics likely headed for urban markets and possibly international smuggling routes.
"This operation was the culmination of months of intelligence gathering and close coordination between the Gujarat ATS, NCB, and maritime security agencies, including the Indian Navy. The interception of the Iranian vessel represents a major disruption to the operations of international drug cartels in the region," said a senior officer from the Gujarat ATS.
Additional details on the recovery are expected to be released once verification is complete and further investigative steps are taken.
