In a swift air-sea coordinated operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized high-grade heroin worth Rs 3,000 crore and weapons from a Sri Lankan fishing vessel off the Minicoy Isle in the Lakshadweep Islands region in the Arabian Sea.
Acting on an intelligence input received on March 15 about the engagement of a suspicious boat of foreign origin in drug trafficking in Arabian Sea, the ICG ships and aircraft conducted extensive search in the area off the Lakshadweep Islands.
On March 18, patrolling ICG units detected three suspicious boats off Minicoy Islands and intercepted them. Post boarding, interrogation of the crew revealed inconsistent statements.
“On rummaging of boats, high grade 300 kiolgrams of Heroin and five AK-47 rifles with 1000 live rounds were recovered from Sri Lankan fishing boat Ravihansi,” an ICG spokesperson said.
The ICG officials pegged the estimated value of narcotics in the international market at Rs 3000 crore.
After the recovery of narcotics and weapons, the ICG escorted all the three boats along with 19 crew members to Vizhinjam, Kerala for further joint investigation.
This is the second major anti-drug trafficking operation undertaken by ICG on the west coast of India within a fortnight.
Earlier on March 5, ICG ships and aircraft, in a coordinated operation in Lakshadweep seas, had successfully apprehended Sri Lankan boat Akarsha Duwa with 06 crew off Minicoy island. The crew had admitted to carrying 200 kg high grade Heroin and 60 kg Hashish which was jettisoned at sea on sighting of ICG ships on patrol.
In a similar operation in November, 2020, the ICG had apprehended Sri Lankan boat Shenaya Duwa off Kanyakumari, carrying 120 kg narcotics worth Rs. 1000 crore and five weapons.
The past one year has proved to be a big setback for drug traffickers at sea, as ICG has successfully seized about 1.6 tons of narcotics worth approx Rs. 4900 crore The total drug haul done by ICG since inception amounts to Rs. 10,952 crore.
“The back-to-back successful anti-narcotics operations are testimony of smooth and cohesive flow of information with various Government agencies and ICG,” the spokesperson said.