Navy Seizes 3,300 kg of Meth, Charas in major drug bust off Gujarat coast

In a joint operation, the Indian Navy and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday seized around 3,300 kg of drugs from a ship near Gujarat's Porbandar, making it the biggest such drug seizure in recent times, the Navy said.

On Tuesday, a small ship was intercepted by the Navy and over 3,089 kg of charas, 158 kg of methamphetamine and 25 kg of morphine worth Rs 1,300 crore was recovered. The ship's five crew, all Pakistani nationals, have been arrested.

While officials are yet to specify the total value of the drugs seized, news agency PTI said one kg of charas is priced at Rs 7 crore in international markets.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated the NCB, Indian Navy and Gujarat Police for the "historic success".

The operation was conducted in the Arabian Sea near the International Maritime Boundary Line, a senior official of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) told news agency PTI.

Indian Navy said a suspicious dhow (sailing vessel) was spotted at sea near Porbandar by a surveillance aircraft after which a ship was diverted to intercept the vessel believed to be engaged in drug smuggling.

The massive drug bust comes a week after a staggering 1,100 kilograms of the mephedrone, also known by its street name 'Meow Meow', worth ₹ 2,500 crore was seized in two-day raids across Pune and New Delhi.