Gujarat ATS and coast guard seize an Iranian boat carrying heroin

Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS have apprehended an Iranian boat with seven crew members. The boat was carrying a huge consignment of heroin. The boat has been brought to the nearest port for further rummaging & investigations.

Ahmedabad: Anti-Terrorist Squad in a joint operation with Coast Guard have apprehended an Iranian boat with seven crew members and a huge consignment of heroin in Indian waters off the Gujarat coast. The boat was seized during the operation conducted on Saturday night.

According to the official, the seized boat carried an estimated 30 to 50 kg of the contraband, worth about Rs 150 to 250 crore in the international markets, however, the exact amount of the drug available in the vessel will be known after its rummaging.

"On an intelligence based joint act, @IndianCoastGuard with ATS #Gujarat apprehended #Iranian boat in #Indian waters with 07 crew-carrying #drugs. The boat is brought to the nearest port for further rummaging and investigations," a defence PRO of Gujarat said on their official Twitter handle.

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Gujarat ATS DIG Himanshu Shukla told the media that the operation was launched based on an input that an attempt was being made to smuggle drugs through the sea route.

"A joint operation was launched with the Indian Coast Guard, and the Iranian boat and its seven crew members were apprehended. We presume that somewhere between 30 and 50 kg of heroin, worth Rs 150 to 250 crore, was loaded on the boat. The consignment may be more, as the exact amount can be known only after rummaging of the boat," Shukla said.

(With agency input)