Iranian dhow seized near India with 526kg of drugs and five Pakistani nationals detained
Indian authorities intercepted the Iranian dhow Azad west of Lakshadweep on 25 September, seizing about 526kg of heroin and methamphetamine and detaining five Pakistani nationals.
- Authorities seized about 400kg of methamphetamine and 126kg of heroin from the Iranian dhow Azad.
- Five Pakistani nationals aboard the vessel were detained and identified as residents of Peshawar.
- The vessel, crew and drugs were escorted to Mumbai for multi-agency investigation and legal proceedings.
An Iranian dhow carrying about 526 kg of heroin and methamphetamine was intercepted west of India's Lakshadweep Islands on 25 September, with five Pakistani nationals aboard detained, the Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) said.
The seized drugs were valued at more than Rs 3,000 crore in international markets, according to the Coast Guard.
The vessel, its crew and the contraband were later escorted under armed guard to Mumbai for joint interrogation and further multi-agency legal proceedings.
The Gujarat ATS is registering a case in connection with the seizure, while further legal proceedings are under way.
What was found aboard the vessel
The five Pakistani nationals were identified by The Indian Express as Mohammad Yakub Balochi, Shakirullah, Faridullah, Ahmed Khan and Wahidullah Khan, all residents of Peshawar, Pakistan.
During preliminary questioning, investigators said the vessel, named Azad, had departed from Konarak in Iran.
The Gujarat ATS said the drug shipment had been transferred to the Azad from another boat that had arrived from Gwadar, Pakistan.
Investigators said the seized consignment consisted of approximately 400 kg of methamphetamine and 126 kg of heroin.
“The high-seas operation resulted in the seizure of approximately 526 kilograms of high-grade contraband — comprising heroin and methamphetamine — valued at over Rs 3,000 crore in international markets, alongside the swift apprehension of five Pakistani nationals operating the vessel,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
Coast Guard interception
The interception followed surveillance of the suspicious vessel by Coast Guard assets operating in the Arabian Sea.
According to the Coast Guard, its personnel conducted sea-air surveillance based on intelligence inputs, maintained tracking of the vessel and then launched a pursuit before boarding the dhow west of Lakshadweep.
“Executing precise sea-air surveillance based on actionable intelligence, Bharatiya Tatrakshak (ICG) assets maintained unyielding tracking before initiating hot pursuit, neutralizing the target, and boarding a suspicious Iranian dhow on September 25,” the Coast Guard said.
An ATS official told the media on Wednesday that the vessel identified through the intelligence was located in Indian territorial waters west of Lakshadweep on 25 September.
The Coast Guard vessel intercepted and stopped it, after which ATS and Coast Guard officers boarded and searched the dhow. The vessel was subsequently brought to Mumbai.
Intelligence behind the operation
The Gujarat ATS had gathered intelligence earlier in September about a planned shipment of methamphetamine and heroin.
Inspector JM Patel received information on September 10 that a Nigerian national had held a meeting in Ahmedabad through an intermediary. During the meeting, an order was reportedly placed for approximately 500 kg of methamphetamine and heroin.
The ATS said the consignment was to be transported aboard the Iranian dhow Azad and delivered to a Tamil Nadu-based boat in Indian waters in the Mumbai-Kochi-Lakshadweep region.
The ATS also said an advance payment for the consignment had already been transferred through the hawala channel, with the remaining amount to be transferred through hawala after delivery.
It said a plan had been made to unload the consignment along the Tamil Nadu coastline and then transport the drugs in smaller quantities using other vehicles for delivery to a Nigerian national in Punjab.
A wanted accused in India and a drug smuggler identified as Haji Salim had allegedly planned, through their associates, to send the consignment aboard the Azad within approximately 15 to 20 days, according to the ATS.
The ATS said the vessel's tandel, or boatswain, was reportedly expected to use a Starlink device.
Joint Coast Guard and ATS operation
After receiving the intelligence, the Gujarat ATS contacted the Indian Coast Guard headquarters in Delhi.
A team led by ATS SP K Siddharth was dispatched to Kochi, Kerala. The Gujarat ATS team met senior Coast Guard officers there and formed a joint team.
The team aboard a Coast Guard vessel subsequently conducted surveillance and checks of suspicious boats in the area.
The Coast Guard said the operation was conducted in coordination with the Gujarat ATS.
In a post on X, the Indian Coast Guard said the operation was also conducted with the Central Intelligence Agency. It described the action as an intelligence-led operation involving detection, sustained tracking, a hot pursuit and tactical boarding.
The Coast Guard said the intercepted vessel and its crew were escorted to Mumbai for multi-agency investigations and prosecution.
It also said the operation demonstrated its surveillance and maritime interdiction capabilities and its commitment to preventing illicit activities in India's maritime zones.
The agency said the seizure would help disrupt the financial network of international drug syndicates and prevent synthetic drugs from reaching the mainland.
