The Navy determined the most likely route the vessel would follow for contraband distribution and sent a ship to track...
Digital Desk: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in collaboration with the Indian Navy, seized approx 2,500kg of high-grade methamphetamine worth Rs 15,000 crore from a mother ship' travelling through the Arabian Sea off Kerala's coast.
"This is the largest seizure of methamphetamine in the country, "NCB Deputy Director General (operations) Sanjay Kumar Singh told reporters in Kochi. In connection with it, a Pakistani national has been apprehended. Following intelligence on the trafficking of heroin and other drugs via the Indian Ocean marine route, the NCB started 'Operation Samudragupt' in January 2022. During the past year and a half, the NCB has captured 3,200kg of methamphetamine, 500kg of heroin, and 529kg of hashish, stated Singh.
According to Singh's statement, the illicit goods seized on Saturday originated in the "Death Crescent," a region that includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. The NCB obtained information on the movement of a mother ship carrying a large quantity of methamphetamine from the Makran coast bordering Pakistan and Iran based on intelligence inputs received with the assistance of the Indian Navy.
The Navy determined the most likely route the vessel would take to distribute the contraband and sent a ship to track it. Following that, the Navy intercepted the vessel and captured 134 bags of suspected methamphetamine. A watercraft was also impounded. On Saturday, the retrieved sacks, a Pakistani national, the intercepted boat, and some other stuff salvaged from the mother ship were taken to Kochi's Mattancherry Wharf.
According to the reports, the sacks in which the contraband was packed bore the seals of Pakistan brands of rice and other food products, indicating Pakistan's involvement in narcotics trafficking. According to a source, some of the sacks include Arabic inscriptions.
"The NCB has begun seizure procedures." According to the primary analysis, all of the packets contain methamphetamine. Because the seizure proceedings are still ongoing, the exact amount of methamphetamine recovered is unknown. However, based on the number of retrieved packets, we estimate it to be around 2,500 kg," Sanjay Kumar Singh said.
The NCB shared real-time data generated during 'Operation Samudragupt' with Sri Lanka and the Maldives, resulting in the seizure of 286kg of heroin and 128kg of methamphetamine, as well as the arrest of 19 drug traffickers, in two operations conducted by the Sri Lankan Navy in December 2022 and April 2023. In March 2023, Maldivian police confiscated 4kg of heroin and detained five traffickers.
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