₹3,000 crore drug bust: How Coast Guard tracked Iranian dhow with 5 Pakistani crew | Today’s news
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in a joint operation with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Gujarat seized around 526 kg of narcotics worth more than ₹3,000 crore in the international market following the seizure of an Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, the Hindustan Times reported, citing officials.
The operation was carried out on September 25 following a tip-off about a suspicious vessel operating west of Lakshadweep, the official said.
How did the Coast Guard track the Iranian dhow?
The Coast Guard said its teams used coordinated maritime air surveillance to track the suspect vessel before it began a pursuit and boarded the Iranian dhow, according to the report.
“In a swift and decisive naval interdiction that struck at the heart of transnational narco-terrorist networks, the Bharatiya Tatrakshak, operating in smooth tactical synergy with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Gujarat, successfully neutralized a major naval narcotics smuggling attempt in the Arabian Sea, west of Lakshadweep,” he said in a statement.
Five Pakistani nationals operating a dhow were detained during the high seas operation, the report said.
The seized contraband contained 526 kg of heroin and methamphetamine, according to the Coast Guard.
“The detained dhow, crew and seized contraband were escorted under armed escort to Mumbai for joint interrogation and comprehensive multi-agency legal proceedings,” the Coast Guard said, as quoted in the report.
The vessel, its crew and the seized narcotics were subsequently taken under armed security to Mumbai for further investigation and court proceedings.
The operation was jointly carried out by the Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS based on intelligence inputs.
The Coast Guard said the operation demonstrated its maritime surveillance and interdiction capabilities and reaffirmed its focus on preventing illicit activities throughout the Indian maritime domain.
It also said the seizure will help disrupt financial networks involved in international narcotics trade and prevent synthetic drugs from reaching the Indian mainland.
The latest seizure comes amid ongoing efforts by the Indian Navy and law enforcement agencies to crack down on narcotics smuggling through the Arabian Sea.
In April 2025, the Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS seized 307.5 kg of narcotics off the coast of Gujarat in another joint operation, according to the Coast Guard’s official record of interdiction cases.
Agencies increasingly rely on intelligence inputs, vessel tracking and coordination between maritime and land-based law enforcement to identify and apprehend suspected drug shipments in the Arabian Sea.
The Coast Guard said the operation highlights its enhanced maritime surveillance capabilities and ongoing efforts to prevent illegal activities in Indian maritime zones.
The agency said the seizure will also help disrupt financial networks linked to narcotics trafficking and prevent synthetic drugs from reaching the Indian mainland.
