The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in a joint operation with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat, has seized around 526 kg of narcotics valued at more than ₹3,000 crore in the international market after intercepting an Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, Hindustan Times reported, citing officials.
The operation was conducted on September 25 following actionable intelligence about a suspicious vessel operating west of Lakshadweep, the official said.
The Coast Guard said its teams used coordinated sea-air surveillance to track the suspicious vessel before initiating a hot pursuit and boarding the Iranian dhow, as per the report.
“In a swift and decisive maritime interdiction striking at the heart of transnational narco-terrorism networks, Bharatiya Tatrakshak, operating in seamless tactical synergy with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat, successfully neutralised a major maritime narcotics smuggling attempt in the , west of Lakshadweep,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
Five Pakistani nationals operating the dhow were apprehended during the high-seas operation, the report said.
The seized contraband included 526 kg of and methamphetamine, according to the Coast Guard.
“The intercepted dhow, crew, and seized contraband have been escorted under armed escort to Mumbai for joint interrogation and comprehensive multi-agency legal proceedings,” the Coast Guard said, as cited in the report.
The vessel, its crew and the were subsequently brought to Mumbai under armed security for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The operation was carried out jointly by the and based on intelligence inputs.
The Coast Guard said the operation demonstrated its maritime surveillance and interdiction capabilities and reaffirmed its focus on preventing illicit activities across India’s maritime domain.
It also said the seizure would help disrupt the financial networks involved in international narcotics trafficking and prevent synthetic drugs from reaching the Indian mainland.
The latest interception comes amid continued efforts by Indian maritime and law-enforcement agencies to detect narcotics trafficking through the Arabian Sea.
In April 2025, the Coast Guard and seized 307.5 kg of narcotics off the Gujarat coast in another joint operation, according to the Coast Guard’s official record of interdiction cases.
Agencies have increasingly relied on intelligence inputs, vessel surveillance and coordination between maritime and land-based enforcement units to identify and intercept suspected drug consignments in the Arabian Sea.
The Coast Guard said the highlights its strengthened maritime surveillance capabilities and continued efforts to prevent illicit activities across India’s maritime zones.
The agency said the seizure would also help disrupt the financial networks linked to narcotics trafficking and stop synthetic drugs from reaching the Indian mainland.
