NCB, Indian Navy seize drugs valued at Rs.12,000 cr; Pakistani national held

This marks the third significant seizure by the NCB in the past 18 months regarding the trafficking of drugs through the southern route

PGurus Newsdesk

May 13, 2023

This marks the third significant seizure by the NCB in the past 18 months regarding the trafficking of drugs through the southern route

In a major drug bust, 2,500 kg of methamphetamine was seized in Indian waters

In a joint operation between the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials, 2,500 kg high-purity methamphetamine valued at Rs.12,000 crore was seized around in the Indian water.

The NCB said it has detained a suspected Pakistani national in this connection.

According to the NCB, the Indian authorities were on alert after receiving a tip-off. Based on that input, a vessel was identified and intercepted by the Indian Navy.

The suspected Pakistani national was nabbed after intercepting a “mother ship” transporting drugs, as part of “Operation Samudragupt” which aims to combat the maritime trafficking of drugs from Afghanistan.

This marks the third significant seizure by the NCB in the past 18 months regarding the trafficking of drugs through the southern route.

According to NCB, in view of the threat to national security emanating from maritime trafficking of heroin and other drugs over the maritime route in the Indian Ocean region, the Director General, NCB had launched Operation Samudragupt headed by Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Director General (Ops) in January 2022.

An official said that continuous intelligence collection and analysis resulted in the identification of a highly probable route that the mother ship would take for the distribution of contraband.

The information was shared with the Indian Navy and an Indian Naval Ship was deployed nearby. Based on this input, a large sea-going vessel was intercepted by the Navy.

“A total of 134 sacks of suspected methamphetamine was recovered from the ship and one person is suspected to be a Pakistani national was detained, who was on a speed boat and contraband was loaded on it,” said the official.

The recovered sacks, the Pakistani national, along with the speed boat and some other items salvaged from the “mother ship” were brought to Mattancherry Wharf, Kochi, and handed over to NCB for further action.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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