Gandhinagar: In a major success, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), on Friday, said it has arrested six crew and seized a Sri Lankan boat carrying heroin and weapons from Pakistan, off Tamil Nadu coast.
The incident happened on November 24 when, following a tip-off, the ICG seized the boat 10 nautical miles off Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, sources said.
In the past two years, anti-national elements involved in narcotics smuggling were trying to infiltrate drug (heroin) through the coastal route. The ICG had received credible information from intelligence agencies regarding the smuggling of an illegal consignment of narcotics through the sea route.
The contraband was being transhipped through a Sri Lankan boat, Shenaya Duwa.
The ICG had deployed five ships and two aircraft for the operation to apprehend the smugglers and seized the contraband.
After a week-long coordinated sea-air search, the boat was identified.
The search of the suspicious boat yielded 99 packets of heroin, 20 boxes of synthetic drugs, five 9 mm pistols, and a satellite phone set.
The drugs and weapons were unearthed from an unapproachable part of the boat.
When questioned, the boat’s crew members revealed that the drugs were transferred onto their vessel on the high seas by a Pakistani dhow from Karachi. The drugs were destined to be sent to western countries and Australia.
The joint interrogation of the apprehended 6 crew members will be undertaken once the vessel reaches Tuticorin.
(VP)