New Delhi: April 14: The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted a joint overnight operation on April 12-13, 2025, in which they seized more than 300 kg of narcotics (methamphetamine) valued at approximately Rs1,800 crore. This operation was a significant victory in the fight against drug trafficking.
Based on an input from Gujarat ATS, an ICG ship from the Coast Guard Region (West) diverted and intercepted an attempted transshipment in the vicinity of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The suspect boat abandoned its narcotics shipment in the sea upon recognising the approaching ICG ship and subsequently fled towards the IMBL. The alert ICG ship promptly deployed its sea boat to retrieve the jettisoned consignment, while simultaneously initiating a hot pursuit of the suspect boat.
The proximity of IMBL and the initial separation between the ICG ship and the boat at the time of its detection helped the perpetrator to evade interception before it crossed over the IMBL within a short time.
The cross over resulted in termination of the hot chase and precluded the ICG ship to apprehend the suspect boat. Meanwhile the ICG team in a sea-boat, after thorough search in the tough night conditions, recovered the sizable amount of narcotics that was dumped into the sea.
The seized narcotics have been brought to Porbandar by the ICG ship for further investigations.
