Gujarat ATS foils major drug smuggling attempt, arrests two Iranians off Porbandar coast

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), with assistance from Indian Coast Guard officials, seized 203 kg of suspected narcotic chemicals and arrested two Iranian nationals during a mid-sea operation near the international maritime border (IMBL) off the Porbandar coast on Tuesday.

ATS officials said that the operation was based on "credible information that Iranian drug smuggler Haji Fida had dispatched a consignment of approximately 200 kg of a suspected chemical substance from Konarak Port, Iran."

The suspected drug consignment, according to ATS officials, was to be handed over to an Indian vessel and subsequently smuggled to Punjab. ATS has not yet revealed the network involved in receiving the suspected drugs.

The ATS intelligence stated that the shipment was scheduled to arrive in Indian waters sometime between February 15 and 16. Officials said that the contraband was intended for mid-sea delivery to an Indian vessel for subsequent transport to Punjab.

"Based on this actionable intelligence, an operation was planned under a team of policemen led by Superintendent of Police K Siddharth. The intelligence was also shared with the Indian Coast Guard, who jointly launched the operation," ATS said in a statement.

On Monday night at around 8, the joint team intercepted a suspicious Iranian speedboat within Indian waters and apprehended the two Iranian nationals found on board. The two individuals have been identified as Abdul Majid and Abdul Sattar, both residents of Chabahar, Konarak, Iran.

"During the search of the vessel, the team recovered 203 packets containing a suspected chemical substance weighing approximately 203 kg. The vessel and the contraband were subsequently seized.

The apprehended individuals, the seized vessel, and the recovered contraband  were brought to the Porbandar Coast Guard Station.

The Forensic Science Laboratory has initiated the chemical analysis of the seized substance, and appropriate legal proceedings have been registered," ATS statement read.