Indian Coast Guard, Gujarat ATS Seize 115 Kg Cocaine Off Mundra Coast
Joint Night Operation Recovers Narcotics Worth Rs 1,150 Crore After Suspicious Bags Thrown From Container Vessel MV Europe in Arabian Sea
In a major breakthrough against maritime narcotics trafficking, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), seized around 115 kilograms of cocaine during a joint anti-smuggling operation off the Mundra coast in Gujarat.
The operation was carried out during the night of May 25-26 after ATS Gujarat shared specific intelligence inputs regarding suspected drug smuggling activity in the Arabian Sea. Acting swiftly on the information, Indian Coast Guard interceptor boats, carrying ATS personnel onboard, launched an extensive search operation in the Mundra anchorage area.
During the surveillance mission, officials noticed suspicious activity aboard a container vessel identified as MV Europe, anchored nearly five nautical miles off the Mundra coast. According to officials, a few bags were allegedly thrown into the sea from the vessel under the cover of darkness.
The joint ICG and ATS team immediately moved towards the location and conducted a challenging recovery operation in extremely low-visibility conditions during the night. Authorities successfully retrieved five bags floating in the sea.
On inspection, the bags were found to contain 115 packets of a white powdery substance, each weighing nearly one kilogram. Preliminary testing confirmed the substance to be cocaine. The total seized contraband weighed approximately 115 kilograms.
Officials estimate the international market value of the seized narcotics to be nearly Rs 1,150 crore, making it one of the major drug seizures along the Indian coastline in recent times.
Following the operation, the vessel MV Europe was brought to port for detailed investigation. Officials from the Indian Coast Guard, Gujarat ATS and other central agencies have launched a joint probe to identify the smuggling network, source of the narcotics and intended destination of the consignment.
Authorities said the successful operation highlights growing coordination between maritime security agencies and state intelligence units in tackling international drug trafficking through sea routes. Further investigation into the case is currently underway.
