New Delhi, 02 April 2025: In a significant blow to maritime drug trafficking networks, INS Tarkash, a frontline frigate of the Indian Navy, has seized over 2,500 kg of narcotics during a high-risk operation in the Western Indian Ocean. Operating under the Western Naval Command, this seizure highlights the Indian Navy’s strong commitment to combating maritime crime and safeguarding regional maritime security.
Coordinated Maritime Interdiction Operation
Deployed in the Western Indian Ocean since January 2025 for Maritime Security Operations, INS Tarkash is actively supporting Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, a multinational naval partnership under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) headquartered in Bahrain. The seizure occurred during Operation Anzac Tiger, a joint initiative under CTF 150 aimed at disrupting illicit trafficking and enhancing maritime domain awareness in international waters.
On 31 March 2025, while on patrol, INS Tarkash received multiple intelligence inputs from Indian Navy P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft about suspicious vessels believed to be engaged in narcotics smuggling. Responding swiftly, the ship altered its course to intercept and investigate these vessels.
Seizure of Dhow with Narcotics
A coordinated effort between the ship’s crew, P-8I aircraft, and the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai enabled INS Tarkash to successfully identify and board a suspect Dhow vessel. The ship’s integral helicopter was also launched to maintain aerial surveillance and track other suspicious vessels in the area.
A specialist boarding team, accompanied by Marine Commandos, boarded the Dhow and conducted an extensive search. During the operation, the team discovered multiple sealed packets hidden within cargo compartments. Upon further inspection, the vessel was found to be carrying 2,386 kg of hashish and 121 kg of heroin, amounting to over 2,500 kg of narcotics. The crew of the Dhow was detained and subjected to a detailed interrogation regarding their activities and links to other vessels operating in the region.
Strategic and Regional Impact
This operation represents one of the largest maritime drug seizures by the Indian Navy in recent years. The interception and seizure demonstrate the professionalism, vigilance, and readiness of the Indian Navy in undertaking complex counter-narcotics operations in hostile and challenging environments.
The success of this mission reinforces India’s proactive stance in ensuring free, open, and secure maritime routes, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which remains vulnerable to transnational crimes such as narcotics trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking.
Through its continued participation in multinational task forces such as CTF 150, the Indian Navy plays a critical role in promoting regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, and collective security.
This interception by INS Tarkash reaffirms the Indian Navy’s resolve to act decisively against threats to maritime security and maintain vigilance across high-risk international waters.
