Coast Guard apprehends Iranian boat with drugs worth Rs 425 cr off Gujarat coast; 5 held

PTI, Mar 7, 2023, 10:26 AM IST

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Ahmedabad: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has apprehended an Iranian boat with five Iranian crew members allegedly carrying 61 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 425 crore off the Gujarat coast near Okha in Kutch district, an official said on Monday.

A release by the Defence PRO on Monday night said, based on a specific intelligence input shared by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), the Indian Coast Guard deployed its two fast patrol class of ships ICGS Meera Behn and ICGS Abheek for patrolling in the Arabian Sea.

”During the night, a boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters around 340 kilometres off Okha coast. On being challenged by ICG ships, the boat started evasive manoeuvring. The boat was then chased and forced to stop by ICG ships,” it said.

”The boat was found to be an Iranian boat with five crew of Iranian nationality. During investigation by the ICG boarding team, around 61 kilograms of narcotics worth Rs 425 crore were found in the boat. The boat along with crew has been apprehended and is being brought to Okha for further investigation,” said the release.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has apprehended an Iranian boat with five Iranian crew members allegedly carrying 61 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 425 crore off the Gujarat coast near Okha in Kutch district, an official said on Monday.

A release by the Defence PRO on Monday night said, based on a specific intelligence input shared by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), the Indian Coast Guard deployed its two fast patrol class of ships ICGS Meera Behn and ICGS Abheek for patrolling in the Arabian Sea. ”During the night, a boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters around 340 kilometres off Okha coast. On being challenged by ICG ships, the boat started evasive manoeuvring. The boat was then chased and forced to stop by ICG ships,” it said.

”The boat was found to be an Iranian boat with five crew of Iranian nationality. During investigation by the ICG boarding team, around 61 kilograms of narcotics worth Rs 425 crore were found in the boat. The boat along with crew has been apprehended and is being brought to Okha for further investigation,” said the release.