Gandhinagar (Gujarat): In a joint operation with the Indian Navy, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized around 800 kg drugs worth Rs 2,000 crore in the international market from a vessel in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast on Saturday. According to NCB officials, the seizure includes over 529 kg of 'very high-quality hashish (charas)', more than 234 kg of the 'finest quality of crystal methamphetamine' and about 15 kgs of heroin.
The cost of the drugs in the international market is around Rs 2,000 crore. This is the first such operation in which the apprehension has been made in high seas, the NCB said in a statement.
The NCB received inputs regarding drug trafficking in the high seas which it later shared with the Naval Intelligence Unit, leading to a joint operation. While the drugs are suspected to have been loaded from Pakistan, the NCB is investigating its delivery contacts.
The seized narcotics have been brought to the Porbandar port in Gujarat and the agency is conducting further formalities and probe, sources added.
"The seizure of almost 800 kg of contraband drugs came after a four-day operation that the agency conducted in collaboration with the Navy in the high seas," NCB Director General S.N. Pradhan said in a statement.
"The neighbouring country has adversarial relations with us and wants to affect India and its national security. I can tell you that this joint action by the Indian agencies and the NCB will continue," Pradhan said.
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(IANS inputs)
