New Delhi [India], November 26 (HBTV): In a daring and meticulously executed mission, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) achieved its largest drug bust to date, seizing over 6,016 kilograms of methamphetamine from a Myanmar fishing boat in the Andaman Sea.
The operation began on November 23, 2024, when a routine surveillance flight by an ICG Dornier aircraft detected an unidentified fishing boat in India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Recognising the potential threat, the ICG swiftly launched a coordinated response.
The fast patrol vessel ICG Ship Aruna Asaf Ali was dispatched from Sri Vijaya Puram under adverse weather conditions. Tracking the suspicious boat for hours, the ICG maintained surveillance throughout the night, preparing to board at dawn. On November 24, at 6:30 AM, the crew intercepted the vessel, later identified as 'Soe Wai Yan Htoo', registered in Myanmar.
Aboard the boat were six crew members and a suspicious cargo of gunny sacks, raising immediate red flags. The vessel was towed to Sri Vijaya Puram harbour for a thorough investigation, where authorities uncovered a staggering 222 bags filled with crystalline methamphetamine, weighing a total of 6,016.87 kilograms. Additionally, the ICG seized an INMARSAT satellite phone and Myanmar currency worth 633,850 Kyat.
This monumental seizure, valued at several thousand crores in the international market, marks the largest drug haul in the ICG's history. It brings the agency's total drug confiscations to an impressive 12,875 kilograms since its inception. The operation underscores the ICG's capability to disrupt global drug syndicate supply chains and their reliance on maritime routes.
'This seizure is a testament to the vigilance and expertise of our personnel. It highlights the strength of our maritime enforcement efforts in keeping Indian waters safe,' said an ICG spokesperson.
This operation is the third major anti-drug trafficking success in the Andaman Sea in recent years. In September 2019, the ICG apprehended a Myanmar vessel carrying 1,160 kilograms of ketamine worth INR 300 crore. Three months later, another boat was intercepted with 371 kilograms of methaqualone valued at INR 185 crore.
The record-breaking haul reinforces India's growing role in combating transnational drug trafficking and highlights the complexities of safeguarding the nation's maritime borders. These operations reflect the increasing reliance of drug cartels on maritime routes to evade land-based enforcement. In response, the ICG has intensified surveillance and enhanced coordination between its air and sea units to detect and intercept illegal activities.
(ANI)