Massive drug seizure near Lakshadweep: 500 kg contraband worth ₹3,000 crore, 5 Pakistani nationals arrested
A joint operation between the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has resulted in a massive drug seizure west of the Lakshadweep Islands. Approximately 526 kg of narcotics, including heroin and methamphetamine, valued at over ₹3,000 crore in international markets, were seized from an Iranian dhow on September 25. Five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel were apprehended in the high-seas operation.
The five arrested individuals have been identified as Mohammad Yakub Balochi, Shakirullah, Faridullah, Ahmed Khan, and Wahidullah Khan, all residents of Peshawar, Pakistan. According to the Coast Guard statement, the operation involved "precise sea-air surveillance based on actionable intelligence" followed by "hot pursuit" before the suspicious vessel was boarded. The dhow, its crew, and the seized contraband were subsequently sent to Mumbai with an armed escort for joint interrogation and multi-agency legal proceedings.
The intelligence leading to the seizure was gathered by Gujarat ATS in early September when an intermediary reported that a Nigerian national had placed an order for approximately 500 kg of methamphetamine and heroin in Ahmedabad. The consignment was to be delivered to a Tamil Nadu-based boat in Indian waters. The ATS noted that advance payment had been sent through hawala channels, with the remaining amount to follow delivery. The drugs were planned to be unloaded along the Tamil Nadu coastline and transported in smaller quantities for delivery to the Nigerian national in Punjab.
