A suspicious boat carrying narcotics worth around Rs 600 crore was seized and eight Pakistani nationals onboard were apprehended from international waters off Gujarat coast, in a joint operation by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. The possibility of any terror link has been discarded. The boat is being brought back to Porbandar coast for further interrogations.

"The boat was intercepted and apprehended by Indian Coast Guard ship Sangram yesterday, whilst Indian Navy ship 'Kondul' provided support to the entire operation. The initial investigations have led to the recovery of 232 packets of narcotics (suspected to be heroin and worth up to Rs 600 crore in the international markets)," it said.

Satellite communication phones and Global Positioning Systems (GPS), which were being used to facilitate transshipment of the contraband to another boat, were also confiscated.

The operation was launched on April 18 after receiving intelligence inputs. It was conducted in close coordination of the western command of Indian Navy along with north-west regional headquarters of the Indian Coast Guard.

Multiple units from the Navy and the Coast Guard were deployed for the operation, which included Indian Naval ships 'Nirghat' and 'Kondul', along with Coast Guard ship Sangram.

The operation to nab the suspected boat was augmented by extensive aerial searches undertaken by Naval and Coast Guard aircraft, including Dorniers, IL38 and P8Is.

All the persons apprehended in the operation are likely to be interrogated jointly by the Intelligence Bureau, Indian Coast Guard and the Navy.

A suspicious Pakistani boat that was spotted 365 km off the coast of Porbandar in February, 2015 | Source: The Indian Express