Chennai: Based on intelligence inputs on drug trafficking, Indian Coast Guard air and sea property intercepted three Sri Lankan boats off the Lakshadweep area on India’s west coast on March 18.
Boarding and search of the three vessels led to the seizure of 300 kg high-grade heroin, 5 AK-47 rifles with 1000 reside rounds, from one in all them named Ravihansi. The estimated worth of the seized contraband is Rs 3000 crore.
The Sri Lankan boats and their 19 crew have been escorted to Vizhinjam in Kerala for additional joint investigation by Indian authorities.
Okay.Natarajan, Director General, ICG stated that the ICG acquired the intelligence on March 15 and 5 ships have been diverted, moreover the plane that was coordinating. On March 18 they made contact with the vessels, as they have been shifting suspiciously, south of Minicoy. (*5*) he stated.
According to Indian Coast Guard, that is the second main anti-drug trafficking operation undertaken by them off the West Coast, inside a fortnight. On March 5, in an identical operation, the CG had apprehended Sri Lankan vessel Akarsha Duwa off Minicoy island. The boat with six crew had admitted to carrying 200 kg of Heroin, 60 kg cannabis, which they jettisoned at sea, on sighting ICG property.
In November 2020, ICG had apprehended Sri Lankan boat Shenaya Duwa off Kanyakumari, carrying 120 kg narcotics, worth round Rs 1000 crore and 5 weapons.
Over the final yr, the ICG has seized about 1.6 tons of narcotics worth almost Rs 4,900 crore, which is near half of the drug seizures worth Rs 10,952cr, made since their inception.
