Ahmedabad: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATSA boat with seven crew members was seized late on Saturday night – all from Iran, off the Gujarat coast and about 50 kg were seized heroin 150 crores Rs.
“Based on information received by ACP ATS Bhavesh Rojia regarding an attempt to smuggle heroin into India, a joint search operation with the Indian Coast Guard was launched in Indian waters. Following this, an Iranian fisherman was caught on Saturday night. The wali boat was nabbed with seven Iranian nationals and banned heroin,” said a senior ATS official.
He said the boat would be brought ashore by tomorrow and further rumours would be spread.
ATS sources said they had received information that the boat had left a port in Iran and was on its way to Sri Lanka.
“The boat could not sail in Sri Lankan waters due to some unknown reasons and veered towards Indian waters after which it was monitored and apprehended by ATS and ICG personnel,” an ATS official said.
ATS sources said the crew members were being questioned about the source of the narcotics which is around 50 kg and is worth Rs 150 crore.
“The operation to nab the crew members took place in the middle of the sea and they were being escorted to the Gujarat coast. The ICG will decide the course of action,” the ATS officer said.
Last week, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized two shipping containers at the Mundra port that had arrived from Afghanistan through the Bandar Abbas port in Iran, from which they found heroin worth Rs 2,000 crore.
“Based on information received by ACP ATS Bhavesh Rojia regarding an attempt to smuggle heroin into India, a joint search operation with the Indian Coast Guard was launched in Indian waters. Following this, an Iranian fisherman was caught on Saturday night. The wali boat was nabbed with seven Iranian nationals and banned heroin,” said a senior ATS official.
He said the boat would be brought ashore by tomorrow and further rumours would be spread.
ATS sources said they had received information that the boat had left a port in Iran and was on its way to Sri Lanka.
“The boat could not sail in Sri Lankan waters due to some unknown reasons and veered towards Indian waters after which it was monitored and apprehended by ATS and ICG personnel,” an ATS official said.
ATS sources said the crew members were being questioned about the source of the narcotics which is around 50 kg and is worth Rs 150 crore.
“The operation to nab the crew members took place in the middle of the sea and they were being escorted to the Gujarat coast. The ICG will decide the course of action,” the ATS officer said.
Last week, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized two shipping containers at the Mundra port that had arrived from Afghanistan through the Bandar Abbas port in Iran, from which they found heroin worth Rs 2,000 crore.
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