New Delhi: The law enforcement agencies in a joint operation, seized a huge consignment of about 700 kg of methamphetamine from an unregistered vessel in the Indian territorial waters off Gujarat Coast on Friday.
The joint operation, carried out by NCB, Navy, and ATS Gujarat Police, have arrested eight foreign nationals who claim to be Iranians, an NCB statement said.
"Continuous intelligence collection and analysis resulted in generating a reliable input that an unregistered vessel, which does not have any AIS installed on it will be entering in Indian waters with narcotic drugs/psychotropic substances. Operation codenamed “Sagar-Manthan-4" was launched and the vessel was identified and interdicted by Indian Navy by mobilising its mission-deployed maritime patrol assets resulting in the seizure of the contraband and apprehension on Friday," the statement said.
The agencies are investigating to identify the backward and forward linkages of the drug syndicate and has also sought the help of foreign DLEAs.
Since the launch of operation Sagar-Manthan early this year, about 3400 kgs of various narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance have been seized and 11 Iranian and 14 Pakistani nationals have been arrested in three cases, the statement added.