In a significant anti-drug operation in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy, in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Navy, has successfully seized 500 kilograms of crystal meth from two fishing boats. This operation followed a series of coordinated efforts between the two naval forces, initiated by intelligence shared from Sri Lanka.
The Indian Navy launched an extensive search and surveillance operation, utilizing advanced technologies and assets to track down suspicious activities in the region. Key elements of this operation included the deployment of Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Remotely Piloted Aircraft, and a naval ship. The backbone of the operation was the guidance provided by the Information Fusion Centre (Indian Ocean Region) located in Gurugram, which played a critical role in coordinating the surveillance efforts.
With continuous intelligence input from the Sri Lankan Navy, Indian Naval aircraft conducted aerial surveillance that led to the identification of two suspicious boats. The decisive action took place on November 24th and 25th when the boarding team from an Indian Naval ship successfully intercepted both vessels. This operation culminated in the remarkable seizure of approximately 500 kilograms of crystal meth.
In addition to the initial naval deployment, an extra ship was sent to reinforce the operation, ensuring that it was fortified against any unexpected developments. The seized drugs, along with the two fishing boats and their crew members, will be handed over to Sri Lankan authorities for legal proceedings, as part of the ongoing collaborative efforts to combat drug trafficking in the region.
This operation mirrors a previous incident earlier in the month, where a joint effort by the Indian Navy, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) unit of the Gujarat Police resulted in the seizure of around 700 kg of drugs from an Iranian boat off the coast of Porbandar. These incidents underscore the vigilant stance taken by Indian maritime forces in addressing the growing threat of drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean region.
