New Delhi : Indian security agencies on Wednesday claimed to have busted the biggest ever offshore drug cartel following seizure of 3300 kg of drugs in Indian Ocean worth Rs 1300-2000 crore.
In a joint operation carried out by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Navy and Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat police, the seizure was made at 16 nautical miles from the Gujarat coast in the wee hours on Tuesday.
The security agencies have arrested five foreign nationals during the operation. One Thuraya and 04 mobile phones along with the boat carrying drugs have been seized. The drug packaging material bears the print “Ras Awad Foods Co, produce of Pakistan”.
The consignment consists of 3300 kg charas/hashish, 158.3 kg crystalline powder Meth and 24.6 kg suspected heroin.
“Initial investigation suggests that the drugs had its origin at Chabahar Port in Iran. It was coming via Pakistan. We are presently investigating the destination of the consignment,” said NCB director general SN Pradhan to ETV Bharat.
The entire operation was conducted under the codename Sagar Manthan.
The primary objective of the operation is to collect actionable inputs which could lead to interdiction of ships carrying narcotics contraband. For this task, the team exchanged and gathered information from Indian Navy & other drug law enforcement agencies such as ATS Gujarat, intelligence agencies etc. The team also cultivated numerous domestic as well as international assets. Technological interventions were also deployed in generating actionable inputs.
“We have received information from a reliable source that a foreign fishing vessel, which is unregistered and doesn’t have any AIS installed, will be coming into Indian waters with more than 3000 kilograms of narcotics and 5-7 foreign nationals on board. It will be delivering the contraband to a fishing boat suspected to be coming in from Tamil Nadu between 0500- 0700 hrs on February 27 at a given point within Indian waters,” informed Pradhan.
The agencies suspect the involvement of drug lord Haji Salim alias Haji Ali with this consignment of drugs.
Asserting that the agency is focusing on drug syndicates instead of drug peddlers, Pradhan said, “Following direction from the Home Ministry, 36 States and UTs across India have set up an anti narcotics task force (ANTF) to concentrate on fighting drugs and narcotics.”
“Drugs are the enemy of a country's security and future. Under the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah, we are fully committed to eliminate this menace of drugs,” said Pradhan.
NCB deputy director general (operation) Gyaneshwar Singh said that to bust the entire international syndicate, the agency is presently investigating the incident.
“Requisite help of foreign Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs) will be taken. Efforts have been made by NCB to identify and disrupt the entire networks involved in such transnational trafficking of drugs and this operation is also an outcome of such efforts. This operation is also a great example of Inter-agency cooperation and coordination,” said Singh.
Stating that the international drug cartels are taking advantage of India’s big cost line, Singh said drug traffickers from Maldives, Sri Lanka and Mauritius are also involved in this business.
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