Amidst the tranquil waters of Gujarat’s Porbandar, a Pakistani vessel laden with narcotics valued at a staggering sum of Rs 480 crore was intercepted in a meticulously executed nocturnal maneuver, as per an official communique issued on Tuesday. The operation, meticulously executed under the shroud of darkness during the twilight hours spanning March 11th and 12th, culminated in the confiscation of contraband with a street value of Rs 480 crore, accompanied by the apprehension of six individuals comprising the vessel’s crew.
“The interception occurred approximately 350 kilometers off the coast of Porbandar, nestled within the embrace of the Arabian Sea, courtesy of a seamless synergy between maritime and aerial assets spearheaded by the Indian Coast Guard, alongside collaborative efforts from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat,” delineated an official proclamation.
In the course of the operation, the Indian Coast Guard, buoyed by actionable intelligence furnished by pertinent agencies, strategically deployed its naval assets across the expanse of the Arabian Sea as dusk descended on the preceding Monday.
“Employing its fleet of Dornier aircraft, the Indian Coast Guard meticulously combed the maritime domain, zeroing in on the target within discernible zones of interest. Subsequent to a painstaking scour of the designated area, the Indian Coast Guard, in conjunction with operatives from the NCB and ATS Gujarat, converged upon the vessel, which was navigating through the enveloping darkness in a conspicuously surreptitious manner,” elucidated the joint statement disseminated by concerned agencies.
“The vessel, confirmed to be of Pakistani origin and manned by a complement of six crew members, underwent meticulous scrutiny by the joint boarding party, resulting in the discovery of approximately 80 kilograms of contraband, with an estimated street value commensurate with Rs 480 crore,” it further expounded.
Per the agencies’ narrative, the vessel, alongside its crew, has been apprehended and is en route to Porbandar, marking the tenth such interception orchestrated by the Indian Coast Guard in tandem with ATS Gujarat and NCB over the preceding triennium, thereby accounting for a cumulative haul of 517 kilograms of narcotics valued at Rs 3135 crore. Ongoing investigative endeavors are underway to unearth further insights into the affair.