The boat, its crew of at least five were escorted to the nearest post in Kochi
The Indian Navy today seized over 300 kg of narcotic substances from a fishing boat in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala. The approximate value of the seized narcotics is estimated to be Rs 3,000 crore in the international market, the Navy said in an official release.
Indian Naval Ship Suvarna, on surveillance patrol in the Arabia Sea, intercepted a fishing vessel with suspicious movements and conducted a boarding and searching operation which led to the seizure.
The boat and its crew of at least five were escorted to the nearest post in Kochi for further investigation.
According to the Navy, it is a major seizure in terms of not just the quantity and cost of the substance but from the perspective of disruption of the illegal narcotics smuggling routes which stretches from the Makran coast in the coastal region of Baluchistan to destinations in India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Apart from the human costs from drug addiction, the spoils of narcotics trade feed syndicates involved in terrorism, radicalisation and criminal activities, the Indian Navy said in a statement.