Narcotics worth Rs 30 billion seized from a Pakistan ship in the Arabian Sea, five arrested

Kochi: – Indian naval patrol ship, INS Suvarna, intercepted a suspicious boat in the Arabian Sea after a thrilling chase. 300 kilograms of narcotics were found on the boat, valued at Rs 30 billion in the international market. A defence department official informed that this ship had set sail from the Makran coast in Balochistan.

The Indian Navy has busted a major international narcotics smuggling racket operating in the Arabian Sea. The action is significant in view of the volume and cost of the seized narcotics, but it is also essential for destroying the narcotic smuggling network operating from Pakistan.

INS Suvarna, the Indian naval patrol ship, on its routine patrolling in the Arabian Sea near the Kochi coast, noted suspicious movements of a boat. The ship was chased down and intercepted. On investigation, narcotics worth Rs 30 billion were found on the boat. All the sailors on the ship are Sri Lankan, and there is a possibility of exposure to a major smuggling racket during investigation.

The officials did not give the exact location in the Arabian Sea where the action was taken. But the ship has been brought to the Kochi port, and the smugglers are being thoroughly interrogated. In the last five to six years, the incidence of narcotic smuggling from Pakistan to India through the marine route has increased. It has been observed that Sri Lankan and Iranian ships are used for this purpose. These narcotics are being smuggled into India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

In the last four months, the coast guard and Indian Navy have busted many major attempts of narcotics smuggling. Only last week, a haul of narcotics worth Rs 3 billion had been seized. Whereas, in March, Narcotics worth Rs 60 billion had been held in multiple actions. Twenty-five smugglers carrying weapons had been arrested during these actions. In November, narcotics worth Rs 10 billion had been seized from a Pakistani ship near Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, and six Sri Lankan smugglers were arrested.