5,500 kg Meth On Myanmar Boat: What Led To Biggest Drug Haul By Coast Guard

The Indian Coast Guard today caught a Myanmarese fishing boat in the Andaman Sea, which was carrying 5,500 kg of Methamphetamine and a satellite phone, making it the biggest-ever drug haul by the Coast Guard in the maritime domain.

The Coast Guard's Dornier aircraft detected the boat 'Soe Wai Yan Htoo' during a reconnaissance sortie. The reconnaissance party found the boat's operations suspicious and informed the Joint Operation Centre (JOC), which deployed a Fast Patrol Vessel, ICG Ship Aruna Asaf Ali, to intercept the boat.

The vessel did not match the characteristics of a local Indian boat, and it carried the Myanmar flag. The Indian Coast Guard shadowed the vessel until the early morning of Sunday. 

Coast Guard's Aruna Asaf Ali boarded the suspicious boat for investigation at 0630 hrs on 24 Nov 24 when it was eight nautical miles off Barren Island in the Indian Territorial waters. The six boat crew onboard the boat were identified as Myanmarese nationals. 

During the boat's rummaging, 5,500 kg of white crystalline compound onboard along with one portable Inmarsat Satellite phone were found. The white crystalline compound was anticipated to be contraband, and hence, the boat was apprehended. 

Subsequently, the boat was brought to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands' capital, Sri Vijaya Puram, for further investigation. 

The seizure is the largest-ever drug haul by the Indian Coast Guard in maritime history. In the recent past, there has been a rise in the detection/sighting of Rohingya boats/ Myanmarese poachers in the Andaman seas. 

The seas were kept under strict surveillance owing to recent inputs revealed during the joint interrogation of an apprehended poacher. 

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