The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) along with the ATS have jointly apprehended a Pakistani boat with six crew, carrying approximately 40 kilograms of drugs worth INR 200 crore, from Indian waters.
On the intervening night of September 13-14, 2022, the ICG, on the basis of intelligence inputs by ATS strategically deployed two fast interceptor class of ships, C-408 and C-454, for patrolling in the area close to notional International Maritime Border Line (IMBL).
As per reports, a Pakistani boat was spotted moving suspiciously in Indian waters, five nautical miles inside notional IMBL and 40 nautical miles from Jakhau. On being challenged, the Pakistani boat over boarded a consignment and started evasive manoeuvring. Braving rough seas, the ICG ships intercepted the boat and apprehended it.
The boat is being brought to Jakhau for further joint investigation. This is the fifth such joint operation by the ICG and ATS in last one year. It highlights the importance of effective coordination amongst stakeholders for robust coastal security network.
The ICG, in 2020, seized INR 1,500 crores worth of contraband that was being smuggled into India via the coastline. Reports mentioned that the ICG, in 2020, managed to intercept more than 10 foreign fishing boards carrying 80 people illegally that were operating in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ. An officer from the ICG said that the Coast Guard has handed over the suspects to the local police station for investigation.
That year, Indian coastlines were hit with 11 cyclones wherein the ICG jumped into action by conducting rescue operations to rescue nearly 40,000 fishermen and escorting them to the shore. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coast Guard was reportedly performing round the clock surveillance and fishing boat checks.
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