ATS, ICG apprehend Pakistani boat with Rs. 280 crore heroin off Gujarat coast

Porbandar: In a joint operation with ATS (Anti Terrorist Squad) of Gujarat Police, the India Coast Guard ships apprehended a Pakistani boat ‘Al Haj’ with 9 crew aboard, on the Indian side of the Arabian sea carrying heroin worth approximately Rs 280 crore. Boat is being brought to Jakhau for further investigation, said ICG (Indian Coast Guard) officials.

Pakistani boat ‘Al Haj’ with 9 Pakistani crew members entered Indian waters late last night. With advanced intelligence, a coast guard boat with 2 Gujarat ATS operatives intercepted the boat attempting to return to Pakistan throwing away narcotics packets in water, said ICG Officials.

The packets were recovered and the ICG boat started the hot pursuit of the Pakistani fishing boat. The boat was capable of high speed and was stopped forcibly as the Indian boat had to fire at the boat to prevent its escape, said ICG Officials.

One crew suffered an injury and the other two minor bruises. The boat being heavier, ICGS Ankit in the vicinity was diverted for towing assistance. It is expected to reach Jakhau port by 3 PM today, said ICG officials.

Gujarat Police chief DGP Ashish Bhatia in reply to media’s query informed that ATS had contacted ICG and boarded ICG interceptor boat to reach the high sea for this operation. The seizure happened at around 2 to 3 am. During the chase, ICG had to fire shots, due to which two to three persons are injured. ICG and ATS teams boarded the Pakistani ship and conducted search, in which 56 bags of heroin were found out. As per the primary details, Karachi based Mustufa had sent this consignment.

ये पाकिस्तान के ड्रग्स नेटवर्क पर गुजरात पुलिस (ATS), कोस्ट गार्ड, NCB की “दरियाई स्ट्राइक “ है,

“ जितने भेजोगे उतने पकड़ेंगे, वेलकम टू गुजरात जेल… पूरी ज़िंदगी गुजारों काल कोठरी में “

— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) April 25, 2022

Meanwhile, minister of state for Home, Harsh Sanghavi has tweeted that this is coastal strike by Gujarat Police (ATS), Coast Guard and NCB. “We will capture, all that you dispatch, welcome to Gujarat jail … spend rest of the life in dark chamber of prison.”

Sanghavi in a thread of tweets congratulated Gujarat ATS, Coast Guard, central agencies for sharp vigil and capture of drugs consignment before it can enter into the borders of Gujarat.