Ahmedabad, Gujarat: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), seized 300 kilograms of narcotics valued at ₹1,800 crore during a joint operation conducted near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) between April 12 and 13.
According to officials, the smugglers attempted to evade capture and discard the illicit consignment upon spotting the Coast Guard vessel. Despite their efforts to flee, the contraband was successfully recovered at sea and handed over to the Gujarat ATS for further investigation.
A post by the Indian Coast Guard highlighted the success of the mission, stating:
“The Indian Coast Guard, in a joint operation with Gujarat ATS on the night of 12-13 April 2025, seized 300 kg of narcotics worth ₹1,800 crore off IMBL near the Gujarat coast. On spotting the ICG ship, smugglers dumped the contraband and fled across the IMBL. The consignment was recovered at sea and handed over to ATS for further investigation. A testament to strong inter-agency synergy against drug smuggling.”
Gujarat ATS Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sunil Joshi revealed that two ATS officers had been deployed on board the Coast Guard ship during the operation. Acting on a tip-off from ATS Inspector J.M. Patel, authorities learnt that a Pakistani supplier, identified as Fida, was planning to smuggle around 400 kg of narcotics off the coast of Porbandar. The drugs were to be handed over to an Indian vessel from Tamil Nadu, which would then transport them further inland.
DIG Joshi stated, “The ICG vessel reached the designated handover location on the night of April 12 and detected a small Pakistani fishing boat using radar. Upon realising they had been spotted, the crew of the Pakistani boat attempted to discard the narcotics to avoid being caught.”
Just days earlier, on April 11, the Indian Coast Guard had also intercepted an Indian fishing vessel named Maa Basanti approximately 72 nautical miles off Sagar Light, within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as part of its ongoing efforts to monitor and prevent maritime smuggling.
This operation underscores the critical role of inter-agency cooperation in curbing cross-border narcotics trafficking and safeguarding India’s maritime borders.
