The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday apprehended an Iranian boat with five crew members carrying 61 kilograms of drugs worth Rs 425 crore at the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast. The ICG took the action based on intelligence input from Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Gujarat.

“Indian Coast Guard (ICG), based on an intelligence input by ATS Gujarat, has apprehended an Iranian Boat with 05 crew in Indian waters carrying 61 kgs of Heroin worth Rs 425 crore,” the PIB (Defence Wing) stated.

Currently, the apprehended boat along with the crew is being brought to Okha port for further investigation.

According to the Defence Wing statement, acting on a specific intelligence input by ATS, the ICG deployed its two Fast Patrol class of ships, ICGS Meera Behn and ICGS Abheek for patrolling in the Arabian Sea.

“During dark hours, a boat was observed moving suspiciously in Indian waters approx.190 miles off the Okha coast. On being challenged by ICG Ships, the boat started evasive manoeuvring,” the Defence wing statement further said.

The boat was chased and forced to stop by ICG ships. The boat was found to be an Iranian boat with five crew of Iranian nationality, according to the release. During the investigation by the ICG boarding team, the crew were found to be behaving suspiciously, prompting the team to take quick and decisive action.

Image courtesy: Twitter/@PRODefenceGujarat