Indian security agencies have seized the largest-ever offshore consignment of drugs, weighing 3,300 kilos, and arrested five foreigners from a dhow in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast.

The joint operation, codenamed ‘Sagarmanthan-1’, was carried out by the Navy, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and the Gujarat Police.

The boat reportedly sailed from an Iranian port.

The value of the contraband was estimated to be between `1,300 crore and `2,000 crore in the international market.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a “historic success” and a testament to his Government’s “unwavering commitment to making our nation drug-free.”

“Pursuing PM Modi’s vision of a drug-free Bharat, our agencies today achieved the grand success of making the biggest offshore seizure of drugs in the nation.

In a joint operation carried out by the NCB, the Navy, and the Gujarat Police, a gigantic consignment of 3,132 kg of drugs was seized. This historic success is a testament to our Government’s unwavering commitment to making our nation drug-free.

“On this occasion, I congratulate the NCB, the Navy, and the Gujarat Police,” he said.

The unregistered fishing boat was intercepted on Tuesday morning in the Arabian Sea, approximately 60 nautical miles from the Indian coast and along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The Navy deployed its P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and marine commandos onboard a warship and helicopters.

Providing details of the operation on Wednesday, the Navy stated, “In a successful coordinated operation at sea, the Indian Navy, in coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau, apprehended a suspicious dhow carrying almost 3,300 kg of contraband (3,089 kg charas, 158 kg Methamphetamine, 25 kg Morphine) - by far the largest in terms of quantity in recent times.”

Based on the input from the P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft on a surveillance mission, Indian Navy mission-deployed ships were diverted to intercept the suspicious dhow engaged in contraband smuggling, navy officials said.

“The seizure of drugs from the dhow, which is by far the largest in terms of quantity, was possible through the collaborative efforts of the Indian Navy’s mission-deployed assets with the NCB. The contraband, along with the apprehended boat and crew, has been handed over to the Law Enforcement Agencies at an Indian port, PM 27 Feb 24,” they said.

“The coordinated response of the Indian Navy with Law Enforcement Agencies is reflective of our resolute stance against narcotics trafficking in India’s maritime neighborhood,” the Navy statement added.

The NCB in Delhi said the joint team of agencies “busted yet another international drug trafficking network and effected the highest-ever offshore seizure (by quantity) in the country”.

The five people arrested from the boat are suspected to be either Iranian or Pakistani nationals. No documents of nationality have been recovered from them, a senior NCB officer said. The official did not specify the cost of the contraband. In the international market, one kg of charas is priced at Rs 7 crore.

The NCB said in New Delhi almost 3,300 kg of contraband that includes 3,110 kg of charas or hashish, 158.3 kg of crystal Methamphetamine, and 24.6 kg of suspected heroin have been recovered from packets that bore the stamp of ‘Ras Awad Goods Co, produce of Pakistan.’

The source of the drugs is found to be the Chabahar Port in Iran, the agency said.

NCB director-general S N Pradhan told reporters during a Press conference in Delhi that the cache could be estimated to be worth anything between Rs 1,300-Rs 2,000 crore in the international market.

“This is the biggest offshore narcotics seizure made in the country till date. We have seen that drugs smuggling has increased through the maritime route over the last few years and hence we are jointly working with other government agencies like the Navy, Coast Guard, Customs etc. To intercept such activities.”

“The smugglers and drugs operators use the Arabian Sea to exploit the Indian coastline that is vulnerable. It is part of the grand design to destabilise the country using drugs,” Pradhan said.

The last big seizure from the high seas was of 2,500 kg by the NCB and the Navy off the Kerala coast in May, 2023.

NCB deputy director general (operations) Gyaneshwar Singh said the fishing boat has been brought to Porbandar and the five nationals who were onboard have been arrested.

“They could either be Pakistani or Iranians. However, we have recovered no IDs from them. A Thuraya satellite phone and four mobilephones have been seized from these men,” Singh said.

The DDG said the drugs packets had the name of a Pakistani food company and hence they “suspect” the hand of that country in mobilising this cache whose destination is being probed.

The traffickers onboard vessels carrying drugs keep in touch with buyers on the land and once they strike a deal, the consignment can land anywhere up to the southern-most tip of India, the NCB officials said.

Singh said this operation was codenamed ‘Sagarmanthan-1’ and the joint teams have been working on inputs for the “last few weeks”.

The NCB DG said combating the drugs trafficking was a task as this stockpile has grown in Afghanistan post the installation of a new Government there even as Myanmar (on India’s eastern side) was a record supplier.