On February 17, 2026, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in collaboration with the Coast Guard intercepted and impounded a speedboat carrying foreign nationals carrying 203 kg of a suspected narcotic substance. Photo: X/@IndiaCoastGuard via ANI
Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard, arrested two Iranian nationals and seized more than 200 kg of a suspected chemical substance from a motorboat intercepted off Gujarat, officials said on Tuesday (17 Feb 2026).
The interception took place about 140 nautical miles off the coast of Porbandar on Monday evening (February 16). A total of 203 packets containing the white powder were recovered from the vessel, officials said.
“The packages containing the white powder were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination. The substance could not be identified using the heroin primary detection kit,” they said.
Preliminary findings indicate that the two accused navigated a speedboat from Iran to Indian waters. “The manner in which they traveled such long distances in a speedboat is quite daring. According to our information, the consignment was supposed to be received in the middle of the sea and then transported to Punjab. Investigation is on,” the police said.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in collaboration with the Coast Guard on Tuesday intercepted and seized a speedboat carrying foreign nationals carrying 203 kg of suspected narcotic substance. Photo: X/@IndiaCoastGuard via ANI
According to the ATS, an alert was received that an Iranian drug smuggler identified as Haji Fida had sent a consignment from Konarak port in Iran for delivery to Indian waters.
The arrested men were identified as Abdul Majid and Abdul Sattar, both residents of Chabahar, Iran.
Officials said cases of speedboat travel from Iran are rare, with only two such cases reported in the past four years. “This seems to be a new modus operandi adopted by Iranian smugglers as motorboats have a better chance of evading coast guard vessels,” he said.
Two mobile phones have been recovered from the accused and investigators are analyzing the data for further clues. Officials said the language barrier posed initial problems in questioning the suspects.
Published – 17 Feb 2026 20:55 IST