NCB Seizes 700 Kg Meth Worth Rs 1,700 Crore Off Gujarat Coast, Arrests Eight Iranians In Operation Sagar Manthan

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has confiscated nearly 700 kilograms of methamphetamine (meth), a psychotropic substance, from an unregistered vessel within Indian territorial waters, according to a senior NCB official on Friday (15 November).

The interception, carried out in collaboration with Gujarat Police and the Indian Navy, led to the seizure of meth valued at approximately Rs 1,700 crore. Eight individuals aboard the vessel, who lacked identification documents and claimed to be Iranian nationals, were taken into custody.

Deputy Director General of Operations (NCB), Gyaneshwar Singh, revealed that intelligence indicated an unregistered vessel without AIS (Automatic Identification System) would enter Indian waters carrying narcotics or psychotropic substances.

Acting on this information, Operation SAGAR-MANTHAN-4 was initiated, enabling the Indian Navy to mobilise its maritime patrol assets and intercept the vessel, resulting in the seizure.

Investigations are ongoing to uncover the broader network of the drug syndicate, with support from international drug enforcement agencies, The New Indian Express reported.

Earlier this year, the NCB launched "Operation Sagar Manthan" by assembling a dedicated team from its headquarters alongside personnel from the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and Gujarat ATS. The operation aims to address national security threats posed by maritime drug trafficking.

To date, a series of such operations have resulted in the confiscation of approximately 3,400 kilograms of narcotics and psychotropic substances. Arrests this year include 11 Iranian and 14 Pakistani nationals across three cases, all of whom remain in custody awaiting trial.

To strengthen its efforts against drug trafficking, the government recently approved 111 new posts for the NCB, including five at the SP level, adding to the 425 posts created over the past two years.