Cocaine worth ₹1,150 crore seized off Mundra coast in joint Coast Guard-Gujarat ATS operation

The Indian Coast Guard and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) seized 115 kg of cocaine worth an estimated ₹ 1,150 crore during a joint operation off the Mundra coast, officials said on Wednesday, according to news agency PTI. How ATS and Coast Guard tracked, intercepted and seized consignment ICG interceptor boats carrying ATS personnel launched a massive search operation in the Mundra anchorage area after suspicious activity was detected onboard a container vessel, identified as MV Europe, anchored nearly five nautical miles off the Mundra coast, the release said.

• Acting swiftly despite poor visibility, Indian Coast Guard and ATS personnel moved to the spot and recovered five bags from the sea, according to the release.
• Gujarat DGP Dr KLN Rao said that a ship was intercepted at the outer anchorage of Mundra Port, where six bags containing around 118 kg of cocaine were seized.
• According to Rao, the ship had reached Mundra after passing through Brazil, several Latin American countries, Mexico, the United States and Karachi.

Watch next: The joint operation was conducted on the intervening night of May 25 and 26 after ATS Gujarat received specific intelligence inputs about narcotics being smuggled through the maritime route, an official release said.