700 kg drugs seized, 8 Iranians caught in anti-narcotics operation along Gujarat coast

Ahmedabad: A consignment of 700 kg methamphetamine (meth) was seized in a joint operation of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Gujarat police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Indian Navy on Friday in a mid sea operation.

This is said to be the biggest seizure of meth, a highly addictive party drug, off Gujarat coast.

NCB said in a statement that eight suspected Iranian nationals have been arrested from the vessel carrying the consignment.

Sources said that prima facie, the consignment looks like synthetic meth and most likely was to be smuggled abroad using fishing boats in Gujarat to ferry them towards southern states.  

"...NCB successfully dismantled an international drug trafficking cartel today, seizing approximately 700 kg of meth in Gujarat. This joint operation with the Indian Navy and Gujarat Police exemplifies our unwavering commitment and impressive inter-agency collaboration," the central agency said in a post on X.

The statement said that NCB received a reliable input that an unregistered vessel which didn't have any AIS (automatic identification system on boats) installed on it, was to enter Indian waters with the narcotics substances. The agency launched operation “SAGAR-MANTHAN - 4” and identified the vessel. With the help of Gujarat ATS and Navy the vessel was apprehended.