- Indian Coast Guard seized 526 kg drugs in Arabian Sea.
- Consignment valued over Rs 3,000 crore, five Pakistani crew held.
- Operation disrupted major international drug-smuggling route.
In a major drug bust, the Indian Coast Guard has seized a huge consignment of drugs worth more than Rs 3,000 crore in the Arabian Sea and detained five Pakistani crew members. The operation was carried out with Gujarat ATS and the Central Intelligence Agency based on intelligence inputs, the Indian Coast Guard said in a post on X on Wednesday.
Iranian Dhow Tracked In Arabian Sea
According to the Indian Coast Guard, its teams spotted a suspicious Iranian dhow (sailing vessel) west of Lakshadweep. The vessel was closely tracked before the teams moved in and boarded it. The Coast Guard said the operation followed a period of sustained tracking and a hot pursuit before the vessel was intercepted.
526 Kg Of Drugs Seized, Five Pak Crew Members Held
During the operation, authorities recovered 526 kg of heroin and methamphetamine from the vessel. The seized drugs are estimated to be worth more than Rs 3,000 crore. The Coast Guard said the operation helped disrupt a major international drug-smuggling route. It added that five Pakistani nationals who were on board the vessel were apprehended during the operation.
In an intelligence-led joint operation with ATS Gujarat, and Central Intelligence Agency, @IndiaCoastGuard units interdicted a suspicious Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, west of #Lakshadweep. Positive detection, sustained tracking and a hot pursuit culminated in tactical… pic.twitter.com/p2BthJvndS
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) September 30, 2026
The vessel and the crew have been brought to Mumbai, where multiple agencies will investigate the case further. The accused are expected to face legal proceedings after the investigation. The Indian Coast Guard said it remains focused on protecting the country's maritime borders and tackling international drug-smuggling networks.
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“Intelligence Agency, @IndiaCoastGuard units interdicted a suspicious Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, west of #Lakshadweep. Positive detection, sustained tracking and a hot pursuit culminated in tactical boarding, successfully neutralizing a major transnational narco-smuggling vector,” the statement read.
It added, “The operation resulted in the seizure of 526 kg of high-grade heroin and methamphetamine valued at over ₹3,000 crore, alongside the apprehension of five #Pakistani crew members. The apprehended vessel along with crew has been escorted to Mumbai for multi-agency investigations and followed by prosecution.”
The agency also said such operations are part of its efforts to support the government's Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign and prevent organised crime from operating through India's waters.