New Delhi, Apr 15 (IANS): Eight Pakistan nationals were apprehended from the mid-sea off Gujarat coast for drug trafficking on Thursday. The law enforcement agencies seized 30 kilograms of heroin from them.
Indian Coast Guard, a maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency, spotted the Pakistani boat PFB NUH with eight of its nationals near the international maritime boundary line. They were searched and 30 kilogram of heroin was recovered from their boat.
All the eight Pakistan nationals were apprehended immediately. The law enforcement agencies are trying to identify the mafia behind the drug traffickers..
A team from a forensic science laboratory has been called in to examine the contraband and ascertain its type.
The coast guard official said that it was a joint operation with Gujarat Police's Anti-terrorism squad. It said that ATS had information about the illegal consignment being smuggled in the state through the coastline.
The last one year has proved to be a big setback for drug traffickers at seas as Indian Coast Guard has successfully seized about 1.6 tonnes of narcotics worth approximately Rs 4,900 crore.
Last year in January, Gujarat police's Anti-terrorism squad (ATS) had arrested five Pakistan nationals and had seized 35 kg heroin from their possession.
Their boat named JamJam was spotted on the International maritime board at Jakhau in Kutch. Following their search, 35 packets of contraband heroin were recovered from them.
The Pakistani nationals were identified as Anees Isa Bhatti, 30, Ismail Mohammed Kachchi, 50, Ashhraf Usman Kutchhi, 42, Kareem Abdulla Kutchhi, 37, and Abubaqar Ashraf Sumra, 55, all residents of different parts of Karachi, Pakistan.
The drug mafias are trying to push contraband in Indian territory through land border and seas.
In 2019, again Gujarat Police had arrested 11 foreigners, including nine Iranians with 100 kg heroin worth Rs 500 crore in a similar operation.
The probe revealed that a Mumbai-based trader identified as Badruddin S. Shaikh, who had gone to Tehran (Iran's capital) to purchase dry fruits specially dates, was contacted by a drug dealer identified as Ali alias Haji who lured the trader to receive the narcotics consignment at Porbandar coast in Gujarat in lieu of Rs 10 lakh.