Indian Coast Guard, Guj ATS siege 115 kg cocaine in joint maritime anti-smuggling operation
New Delhi, May 27
In a major success against maritime narcotics smuggling, the Indian Coast Guard, in coordination with ATS Gujarat, successfully seized approximately 115 kg of Cocaine during a joint intelligence-based anti-smuggling operation conducted during the dark hours of 25-26 May 2026 off the Mundra coast, officials said on Wednesday.
Acting on specific and actionable intelligence shared by ATS Gujarat, ICG Interceptor Boats, with ATS personnel embarked onboard, undertook an extensive search operation in the Mundra anchorage area.
During the operation, suspicious activity was observed onboard a container vessel, MV Europe, anchored approximately five nautical miles off Mundra, wherein a few bags were seen being thrown overboard.
Demonstrating swift operational response and seamless interagency coordination, the joint ICG and ATS team immediately proceeded to the location and successfully recovered five bags from the sea under extremely challenging low-visibility conditions during the night.
Upon examination, the bags were found to contain packets of white powdery substance, which tested positive for Cocaine. A total of 115 packets, weighing approximately one kg each, with an overall contraband weight of around 115 kg, were seized during the operation.
The estimated international market value of the seized narcotics is approximately Rs 1,150 crore as per open-source assessments.
Subsequently, the vessel has been brought to port for further investigation. Joint investigations by ICG, ATS Gujarat, and other concerned agencies are currently in progress, officials added.
The successful operation once again highlights the strong synergy and operational coordination between ICG and ATS Gujarat.
Notably, this marks the fifteenth successful anti-narcotics operation jointly undertaken by the agencies in the last five years, reaffirming their unwavering commitment towards strengthening maritime security and achieving the national vision of a "Nasha Mukt Bharat".
— IANS
Reader Comments
The interagency coordination between Coast Guard and ATS is commendable. But I'm concerned about the source and destination of these drugs. Are we just catching them at sea, or is there a broader investigation into the cartels? Need more proactive intelligence work rather than just reactive seizures. Good job though! 👏
Superb work by our maritime security forces! This is 15th such op in 5 years - shows consistent effort. However, I hope they trace the vessel's route and crew thoroughly. MV Europe sounds like a suspicious name for a container ship. Maybe international cooperation needed to break the supply chain completely. Nasha Mukt Bharat is possible if we stay vigilant!
Impressive night operation in low visibility! The recovery of 5 bags from sea shows great coordination. But Rs 1,150 crore market value seems staggering - that's a lot of lives being destroyed. Hope the investigation names the masterminds behind this. Drug trafficking via maritime routes is a global problem, and India is doing its part. Good job! 🌊
My only concern is - 115 kg is huge, but how many times do drugs actually get caught vs slip through? We need stronger patrolling along the entire west coast. Also, glad to see ATS Gujarat and Coast Guard working together. But let's not forget - supply chain starts abroad. Need to strengthen intelligence sharing with other nations. Still, great work! 💪
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