In a joint operation carried out by the Indian Coast Guard and the Anti-Terrorism Squad of Gujarat late on Sunday night, five Pakistani nationals were apprehended with 35 kilogram of heroin.
The heroin, recovered from boat “Jamjam”, is estimated to be worth Rs 175 crore in the international market. The operation was carried out off the Gujarat coast. The state police was also part of the operation.
According to an official communication, the ATS had got information that an illegal consignment of narcotic drugs, heroin, is to be smuggled in Gujarat through the coast. It was also revealed that the consignment was being sent in a Pakistani fishing boat from Pakistan.
Commandos of Marine Task Force and SOG Bhuj-Kutch were kept in boats in Indian waters to help in apprehending the smugglers. Continuous search operation was undertaken near the location, located North West of Jakhau, which was indicated in the information available with the ATS Gujarat. A suspicious Pakistani boat was identified at the said location in Indian waters.
ICG IBs stealthily started following the boat, and at the opportune moment officers and personnel of ICG IBs along-with ATS Officers successfully boarded the suspicious boat. Search of the suspicious boat unearthed 35 packets of contraband heroin.
The interrogation of the accused persons is in progress jointly by all agencies.
Those arrested are Anees Isa Bhatti, 30; Ismail Mohammed Kachchi, 50; Ashhraf Usman Kutchhi, 42; Kareem Abdulla Kutchhi, 37 and Abubaquar Ashraf Sumar, 55. All are residents of Karachi, Pakistan.
Among the team that carried out the operation successfully include B.P. Rojiya, B.H. Chavda, B.P. Rojiya and several others.
