21 September,2019 05:12 PM IST | | A correspondent
ICG ship Rajveer's Inspector General Maneesh Pathak seized packets of Ketamine drug, weighing 1,160 kilograms, worth around Rs 300 crores from the alleged smugglers
On Saturday, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Rajveer in a sea-air coordinated operation seized 1160 Kgs of drug Ketamine from a suspicious Myanmarese vessel which was operating near Car Nicobar islands. The haul is estimated to be worth Rs 300 Crores in the international market. On September 18, the Indian Coast Guard Aircraft, which was on routine surveillance sighted a suspicious vessel operating in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and not responding on VHF.
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Post which, the ICG ship Rajveer was directed to intercept the vessel and carry out an investigation. ICG ship Rajveer intercepted the vessel near Car Nicobar island at around 2100 hrs on September 19, 2019. When asked to stop, the suspicious vessel was unlit and tried to evade from the ICGS Rajveer sight. ICGS Rajveer finally forced the vessel to stop and soon it was taken over the officer on board the ship Rajveer.
During the interrogation, the crew of the ship revealed that they had commenced their journey from the damson bay in Myanmar on September 14 for delivery of a consignment in gunny bags to another boat operating near Thailand-Malaysia maritime borderline on September 21.
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On rummaging of the vessel on September 20, 2019, 57 Gunny Bundles of suspicious substance was found and the same was transferred to ICG ship Rajveer along with other available documents on board the vessel. The vessel, during the passage to Port Blair, started taking in water (flooding) and Coast Guard personnel tried to pump out the water by the diesel-driven pump and other damage control items. However, the flooding could not be controlled and the boat sank.
The Indian Coast Guard seized 1160 packets of 1 Kg each of the Kematine drug
The Indian Coast Guard ship Rajveer resumed her passage with six Myanmarese crew and reached Port Blair on September 21, 2p019. A joint interrogation was conducted along with the narcotics control bureau and local police in attendance.
The NCB conducted preliminary analysis which revealed that the suspicious substance was Ketamine and there were 1160 packets of 1 Kg each onboard the vessel. The estimated value of the catch is about Rs 300 crores in the international market.
In the last five years, the Indian Coast Guard has apprehended narcotics and other Psychotropic Substances to the tune of Rs. 6000 crores excluding the current operation. The Indian Coast Guard remains committed to ensuring safe and secure seas in its area of responsibility.
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