In a joint Op by Indian and Sri Lankan Navies, 500 kg of narcotics seized in Arabian Sea

Over the weekend, the Indian Coast Guard recovered a record six tonnes of methamphetamine from a Myanmar fishing boat in the Andaman Sea, its single largest seizure ever

Just days after the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) recovered six tonnes of narcotics in the Andaman Sea, the Indian Navy acting upon information from Sri Lankan Navy intercepted and seized 500 kg of narcotics — crystal meth in the Arabian Sea.

“Two boats were identified based on continuous inputs from the Sri Lankan Navy and aerial surveillance by Naval aircraft. Subsequently, in a closely coordinated operation between the ship and the aerial assets, both boats were boarded by the ship’s boarding team on November 24-25, leading to the seizure of approximately 500 kg of Crystal Meth,” Indian Navy said in a statement on Friday (November 29, 2024) morning. One additional Naval ship was also tasked to augment the force level for conduct of anti-narcotics operations.

The two boats, along with crew and seized narcotics, are being handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for further legal action. The operation reaffirms the close partnership and bonds developed between the two countries and navies, the Navy said adding, “It also symbolizes the combined resolve of both navies to address regional maritime challenges, and ensure safety and security in the IOR.”

Extensive surveillance was undertaken by Indian Naval P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft, based on inputs from the Information Fusion Centre — Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram, and an Indian Naval ship was deployed to augment efforts.

Coast Guard operation

Around the same dates as the joint Navy operation, the Indian Coast Guard achieved its largest drug bust to date, seizing over 6,016 kilograms of methamphetamine from a Myanmar fishing boat in the Andaman Sea. The operation, conducted over two tense days, involved air and sea assets working in perfect coordination to intercept the foreign vessel, ICG said.

The IOR has seen a huge spurt in narcotics trade in recent years and emerged as a major concern for security agencies. Smugglers are increasingly using sophisticated technology, such as satellite communication and unregistered vessels, to avoid detection.

India’s strategic location between the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran) and the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand) — two of the world’s largest illicit opium-producing regions has made it a transit and consumption hub for drug trafficking, ICG noted. “These regions feed a network of transnational crime syndicates that use land and maritime routes to smuggle contraband across borders.”

The ICG operation began on November 23 when a Dornier aircraft on routine surveillance detected an unidentified fishing boat in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and an operation was swiftly launched.

Fast patrol vessel ICG Ship Aruna Asaf Ali was dispatched from Sri Vijaya Puram harbour, Port Blair under adverse weather conditions and the suspicious boat was kept under surveillance through the night, preparing for boarding at dawn. On November 24, at 6:30 AM, the crew intercepted the vessel, later identified as ‘Soe Wai Yan Htoo’, registered in Myanmar, according to ICG. There were six crew members and a suspicious cargo of gunny sacks onboard and the vessel was towed to Sri Vijaya Puram harbour for a thorough investigation, where authorities uncovered 222 bags filled with crystalline methamphetamine, weighing a total of 6,016.87 kilograms. Alongside the drugs, the ICG seized an INMARSAT satellite phone and Myanmar currency worth 633,850 Kyat.

A record-breaking haul

Aside from this being the single largest drug haul in the ICG’s history, it takes the total narcotics seizures to date to 12,875 kilograms. “This seizure is a testament to the vigilance and expertise of our personnel. It showcases the strength of our maritime enforcement efforts in keeping Indian waters safe,” said an ICG spokesperson.

The ICG operation is the third major anti-drug trafficking success in the Andaman Sea in recent years. In September 2019, a Myanmar vessel carrying 1,160 kilograms of ketamine worth ₹300 crore was apprehended. Just three months later, another boat was intercepted with 371 kilograms of methaqualone valued at ₹185 crore.

Published - November 29, 2024 12:07 pm IST