Rs 1,000-crore cocaine seized from Pak-linked ship off Gujarat coast

The Gujarat ATS and Indian Coast Guard seized more than 100 kg of cocaine off the Kutch coast after intercepting a ship that had reportedly arrived from Port Qasim in Pakistan.

In Short

• Gujarat ATS, Indian Coast Guard seized 100 kg cocaine from Kutch coast
• European ship from Port Qasim, Pakistan was intercepted and raided
• Third major cocaine bust in India in past one week

In a major anti-drugs operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard have jointly seized over 100 kg of cocaine worth Rs 1,000 crore from the Kutch coast, sources said.

The operation was carried out after security agencies intercepted and raided a European ship that had reportedly arrived in the area from Port Qasim in Pakistan.

One person has been arrested in connection with the seizure, the sources confirmed.

Further investigation is underway, with authorities probing the route, logistics chain, and handlers involved.

Gujarat Director General of Police is scheduled to hold a press conference at noon, where more details regarding the seizure, operational strategy, and arrests are expected to be disclosed.

The operation is being described as one of the major narcotics seizures in recent times along India’s western maritime boundary.

This is the third cocaine bust in the country in the past one week.

On May 23, a couple who had arrived from Addis Ababa were intercepted at the Mumbai airport. During interrogation, they admitted to having ingested 84 capsules containing 1.40 kg of cocaine were recovered.

On May 19, an African man and a woman arriving from Addis Ababa were again caught at the airport. A total of 63 capsules containing 850 grams of cocaine, worth Rs 4.25 crore, were purged and recovered from them, officials said.

The four people have been arrested.

- Ends