Amidst the crisis in the Middle East, an Iranian dhow intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) led to the seizure of approximately 526 kilograms of high-grade contraband. Five Pakistani maritime narcotics-smugglers were captured by the Coast Guard from the dhow that was stopped west of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.
The seized dhow contained heroin and methamphetamine valued at over ₹3,000 crore in international markets. It was a joint operation by the Coast Guard and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad that led to the successful raid and arrests on Friday, September 25, 2026.
The ICG confirmed that after the vessel's presence was detected, its personnel launched a pursuit before making a tactical boarding to capture the smugglers. "In an intelligence-led joint operation with ATS Gujarat, and Central Intelligence Agency, @IndiaCoastGuard units interdicted a suspicious Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, west of #Lakshadweep. Positive detection, sustained tracking and a hot pursuit culminated in tactical boarding, successfully neutralizing a major transnational narco-smuggling vector. The apprehended vessel along with crew has been escorted to Mumbai for multi-agency investigations and followed by prosecution," the ICG said on X earlier today.
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The ICG revealed the details of the mid-sea operation and released the faces of the captured crew. The arrested Pakistani crew will undergo joint interrogation by multiple security agencies before legal proceedings take centre stage.
"Bharatiya Tatrakshak remains fully postured & committed to secure our maritime borders, dismantle drug syndicates to ensure #NashaMuktBharat, and protect the nation from transnational organised crimes," the Indian Coast Guard further said. The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' (NMBA) in 2020, initially covering 272 identified vulnerable districts. It was extended to all districts in 2023. It is a component of the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
