The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted a suspicious Myanmarese vessel operating near the Car Nicobar islands and seized 1,160 kg of drug ketamine worth ₹300 crore in the international market.
“ICG aircraft on routine surveillance on September 18 sighted a suspicious vessel operating in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and not responding to Very High Frequency (VHF). ICG Ship Rajveer was directed to intercept the vessel and carry out an investigation,” the ICG said in a statement on Saturday.
ICGS Rajveer intercepted the unlit vessel at 9 p.m. on September 19, and as it attempted to flee, Coast Guard personnel boarded it. When interrogated, its crew said they began their journey from Damson Bay in Myanmar on September 14 for delivering a consignment in gunny bags to another boat operating near the Thailand-Malaysia maritime borderline on September 21, the ICG said.
“On rummaging of the vessel, 57 gunny bundles of suspicious substance were found and the same was transferred to ICGS Rajveer along with other available documents onboard that vessel,” the statement said. During the passage to Port Blair, the vessel got flooded and despite efforts by the Coast Guard personnel to pump out the water with a diesel pump and other damage control items, the boat sank on Friday.
ICGS Rajveer reached Port Blair on Saturday with six Myanmarese crew after which a joint interrogation was conducted along with the Narcotics Control Bureau and the local police.
“The NCB conducted a preliminary analysis, which revealed that the suspicious substance was ketamine and there were 1,160 packets of 1 kg each on board the vessel,” the ICG said and added that the estimated value was about ₹300 crore in the international market.
In the last five years, the ICG has apprehended narcotics and other psychotropic substances to the tune of ₹6,000 crore, excluding the current operation.
