Indian Coast Guard seizes 5 tonnes of drugs in record-breaking bust in Andaman waters

In a significant operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) seized approximately five tonnes of drugs from a fishing boat off the coast of Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 24, 2024. This drug bust is one of the largest ever made by the ICG. The intercepted vessel, a fishing boat flying the Myanmar flag, was suspected of smuggling narcotics through Indian territorial waters. Authorities believe the seized drugs are methamphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant.

The operation commenced when an ICG Dornier aircraft, which was conducting routine surveillance, spotted the suspicious boat in the Bay of Bengal. The information was relayed to the Joint Operations Centre (JOC), which then activated the ICG Fast Patrol Vessel, Aruna Asaf Ali, to intercept the boat. The vessel, under close surveillance by the Coast Guard, was tracked and intercepted near Barren Island in Indian territorial waters early on November 24, 2024.

Upon boarding the boat, ICG personnel discovered the hidden drugs, along with a satellite phone. The crew of the boat, which consisted of six Myanmarese nationals, was detained for questioning and taken to Sri Vijaya Puram for further investigation. The drugs, along with the satellite phone, have been handed over to the relevant authorities for forensic analysis and to aid in ongoing investigations into the smuggling network.

This seizure is part of the ICG’s broader efforts to combat narcotics trafficking through maritime routes. In recent months, there have been several operations aimed at intercepting foreign vessels suspected of transporting drugs. In an earlier operation in November 2024, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Navy intercepted a vessel off the Gujarat coast, seizing approximately 700 kilograms of methamphetamine and arresting eight Iranian nationals. Additionally, authorities have reported the arrest of 11 Iranian and 14 Pakistani nationals involved in separate drug trafficking operations across the country this year.

Authorities have noted a rise in the use of maritime routes for drug trafficking, especially in the Andaman Sea, where foreign fishing boats and vessels are being increasingly detected. The ICG has highlighted a growing trend of smuggling activities, including the use of Rohingya boats and illegal poaching vessels, which have been spotted in the region. As a result, the ICG is ramping up its operations, focusing on enhancing surveillance and intelligence sharing with domestic and international agencies.

In addition to the interception of drug shipments, the ICG has also been involved in operations aimed at preventing illegal fishing and other illegal activities in India’s maritime borders. The Coast Guard continues to work closely with the Navy, NCB, and other law enforcement agencies to combat organized crime and ensure the security of India’s maritime borders.

The ICG’s successful interception of the Myanmarese fishing boat serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by drug trafficking through maritime routes and the need for increased vigilance and coordination between Indian security agencies.