Indian Coast Guard apprehends Sri Lankan boat with 100 kg of heroin

Indian Coast Guard seized a Sri Lankan boat with 100 kg of heroin sourced from Pakistan along with 20 small packets of synthetic drugs on the high seas off Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. Five arrests were made during the operation.

New Delhi: A Sri Lankan boat along with 100 kg heroin sourced from Pakistan along with 20 small packets of synthetic drugs have been seized, and five crew members arrested on the high seas off Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Coast Guard has said.

Five pistols were seized from the accused.

In the past two years, anti-national elements involved in narcotics smuggling are trying to infiltrate narcotic drug (Heroin) through the Indian coast. ICG received credible information from intelligence agencies regarding an illegal consignment of narcotic drugs (Heroin) going to be smuggled in India through sea route.

The information further revealed that the consignment is being transhipped through a Sri Lankan boat. Indian Coast Guard deployed five ships for the operation to apprehend the smugglers.

ICG ships carried out an extensive search for the suspected boat in the most probable area as per the intelligence input. Two ICG aircraft were also continuously deployed to augment sea-air coordinated search. After an extensive and well-planned search in the area, extending since Nov 17 2020, suspicious Sri Lankan boat was identified south of Thoothukudi on Nov 24, 2020.

Coast Guard seizes Lankan boat with 100 kg heroin, arrests six

ICGS Vaibhav stealthily followed the boat and carried out boarding at the opportune moment at about ten nautical miles off Kanyakumari in the evening of Nov 24, 2020. The search of the suspicious boat revealed 99 packets of heroin, 20 boxes of synthetic drugs, five 9 mm pistols and a Thuraya satellite phone set hidden in the boat.

Read: Indian Coast Guard rescues fishing boat off TN coast

During initial questioning, the crew members revealed that the drugs were transferred onto Sri Lankan vessel ‘Shenaya Duwa’ on the high seas by a Pakistani dhow from Karachi. The drugs meant to be sent to western countries and Australia.

The joint interrogation of the apprehended crew members will be undertaken on vessel reaching Tuticorin. Indian Coast Guard is committed to thwart any attempt to smuggle contraband, drug and weapon into our country, the statement from Coast Guard observed.

ICG ships Vaibhav, Vikram, Samar, Abhivav and Aadesh and a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft are involved in anti-smuggling operations, despite rough sea conditions.