2024-04-30 05:05:41
Had to go to Sri Lanka via Tamil Nadu
According to the information, the ship was to touch down in Indian waters off the Porbandar coast during the intervening night of April 25 and 26 and the said contraband was to be transported in a dhow from Tamil Nadu, which was to be further delivered to Sri Lanka-based drug operators.
Encounter took place from both sides
Based on the information, a joint team of Gujarat ATS boarded the Indian Coast Guard ship and launched an operation from Bunder towards the indicated location. During the intervening night of 25 and 26 April, a suspicious vessel was sighted in Indian waters 180 NM off Porbandar, Gujarat. Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS team tried to board this ship. However, the crew of the suspicious Pakistani ship intercepted the team. To restrain the crew and stop the flying ship, fire power was used in which one member of the ship’s crew was shot.
Accused brought to Porbandar
The suspected Pakistani fishing boat ‘Alraja’ had 14 crew members on board, all of whom were Pakistani nationals. The search revealed contraband. The boat and crew were brought to Porbandar for further legal procedures.
Country’s biggest drug seizure in elections
This is the biggest drug seizure in the country during the current Lok Sabha elections. NCB described it as the third successful major maritime operation of its operational unit and ATS Gujarat in the last 70 days. Earlier in February this year, 3,300 kg of narcotics were seized in Sagarmanthan-1, followed by 62 kg of narcotics as part of Sagarmanthan-2 in March.
Boat owner shot
All the detained persons are residents of Julubi Maveli, Lasbela, Balochistan, Pakistan. The boat’s owner, 62-year-old Nazir Hussain Azam Khan, was shot during the operation in the middle of the sea. He has been admitted to the hospital and undergone surgery. At present his condition is stable.