India Coast Guard Ship apprehends Pakistani Fishing Boat with 194 packets of Narcotics

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on May 21, 2019, ship Arinjay on May 21, 2019, intercepted a Pakistani Fishing Boat Al Madina about 08 NM inside Indian waters off International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) with 194 packets of narcotics substance.

At about 9 pm on May 19, 2019, intelligence was received of a suspicious vessel likely to be engaged in drug trafficking in area off Indo-Pak International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) off the Gujarat Coast. Similar inputs were also received from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence on May 20, 2019.

Indian Coast Guard immediately swung into action and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship Arinjay on patrol off Indo-Pak IMBL was alerted about the suspect vessel. Two additional Interceptor Boats C-437 and C-408 were also tasked from Jakhau and Okha to augment the search for the suspect vessel. ICG Dornier aircraft was also launched from Porbandar on May 20 & 21, 2019, for aerial recce in the area.

Coast Guard Ships and aircraft maintained extensive search in the area for intercepting the suspect vessel.  ICG ships classified various contacts in the area and kept them under constant surveillance. During search, one fishing boat was observed to be suspicious and Coast Guard ships in area shadowed the suspect vessel on May 20, 2019, night.

The suspect vessel with first light on 21 May 21, 2019, crossed the IMBL towards Indian side and started moving towards the Jakhau coast. The suspect vessel Al Madina was kept under surveillance and intercepted around 9.15 am on May 21, 2019, about 08 NM inside Indian waters off IMBL by ICG ship Arinjay.

During boarding,  the vessel was found to be a Pakistani Fishing Boat Al Madina registered at Karachi with 6 Pakistani crew. Initial search of the fishing boat by Indian Coast Guard boarding party revealed 194 packets of suspected narcotics substance. The vessel is being escorted to Jakhau harbour for detailed investigation and rummaging.

During a similar operation on March 24, 2019, ICG ship Rajratan, in joint operation with ATS, Gujarat, had  seized about 100 kg of heroin from a suspected Pakistani Dhow off the coast of Gujarat apprehending 9 Iranian crew of the vessel.

Indian Coast Guard Director General Rajendra Singh said that the Coast Guard has been at the forefront in anti-narcotics and anti-smuggling operations and since inception has seized contraband worth of more than Rs 5,000 crore, according to a PIB release.