Ahmedabad, Apr 30 (IANS): Gujarat has a long coastline stretching nearly 1,600 km, and miscreants from the neighbouring countries use it as an opportunity to smuggle in narcotics.

But Gujarat's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) stay one step ahead of them. On April 24 and 25, ATS and ICG seized narcotics worth Rs 280 crore from Jakhau in the Kutch region.

Director General of Police, Ashish Bhatia, said in a press conference, "Indian Coast Guard and ATS carried out a joint operation and apprehended a Pakistani boat named 'Al Haj', which was carrying 56 kg heroin worth around Rs 280 crore. Nine crew members of the boat have been detained. The ATS had information about a Pakistani drug lord named Mustufa, who was planning to smuggle in heroine through Gujarat and send the contraband to north Indian states."

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi congratulated both the agencies and said that they are keeping an eye on Pakistani drug mafia's every move.

According to the numbers shared by the ATS, in 2021, narcotics worth RS 1,466.18 crore were seized, while in the previous two years, drugs worth Rs 704 crore were confiscated.