Srinagar, April 28 (KNS): The Indian Coast Guard on Sunday intercepted a suspicious Pakistani boat that had nearly 86 kg of drugs worth Rs 602 crore. Acting on intelligence, the Coast Guard along with the Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), launched a crackdown on the drug trafficking syndicate operating in the region.

In a statement, issued to KNS, a spokesperson said that due to the enforcement of MCC in the country, all the enforcement agencies are on high alert in the State.

"During this period, an information was received by K K Patel, Superintendent of Police, Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad that a Pakistani drug operative named Haji Aslam alias Babu Baloch would be sending a Pakistani fishing boat, Alraza bearing registration number 339-BB-BFD from Karachi harbour to deliver narcotic substance like Heroin or Methamphetamine," reads that statement.

It reads that this boat would attempt to deliver the contraband in the intervening night of 25th and 26th April in the Indian waters near IMBL off Porbandar Coast and the contraband would be delivered to a Dhow from Tamil Nadu to be further delivered to Sri Lanka based drug operatives.

It added that based on this information, a joint team of Gujarat ATS and Indian Coast Guard had commenced an operation from Porbandar on board ICGS Rajratan and in the intervening night of 25th and 26th of April identified a suspicious vessel in the Indian waters off Porbandar.

"The Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS team that had tried to board the vessel for checking was obstructed by the crew of the suspect boat and to restrain the crew and to stop the fleeing vessel, firepower was used in which one member of the crew of the vessel sustained bullet injuries."

It further reads that the suspect Pakistani fishing boat was carrying 14 crew members - all Pakistani nationals - and the search of the boat revealed contraband material.

"The boat and crew were brought to Porbandar for further legal procedures. The joint team of Gujarat ATS and Narcotics Control Bureau (Operations), New Delhi had boarded the vessel and, in the search, have recovered 78 boxes of contraband suspected to be Heroin weighing roughly 86Kgs and worth nearly Rs 602 crore in the international market."

It added that 14 individuals detained in connection with the seizure have been identified as Nazeer Hussain s/o Azam Khan, Mohammed Siddiq s/o Ahmed Bhatti, Ameer Hussain s/o Gulam, Salal s/o Ghulam Nabi, Aman s/o Gulam Nabi, Badhal Khan s/o Ameer K, Abdul Rashid s/o Zabri, Lal Bux s/o Ali Murad, Chakar Khan s/o Khan, Qadir Bux s/o Somro, Abdul Samad s/o Hussain, M Hakeem s/o Mossa, Noor Muhamnmad Arf Noro s/o Acho and Muhammad Khan s/o Hussain.

It reads that the master of the boat, Nazir Hussain Azam Khan aged 62, who had suffered bullet injury during the mid-sea operation was evacuated for further medical care.

"He has been operated upon and is presently in stable condition. The further legal procedures and investigation into this international drug network is being undertaken by Narcotics Control Bureau. This is the biggest NDPS seizure in the country during the process of Lok Sabha elections," it reads. (KNS)