In a major blow to transnational drug syndicates, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), seized over 300 kg of high-grade methamphetamine valued at approximately Rs 1,800 crore during a high-risk overnight operation conducted on April 12–13.
Acting on specific intelligence provided by the Gujarat ATS, an ICG ship on multi-mission deployment off the North Maharashtra–South Gujarat coast was redirected to intercept a suspect vessel attempting a mid-sea narcotics transfer near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). Upon detecting the approaching Indian vessel, the suspect boat dumped its illicit consignment into the sea and fled towards international waters.
Despite a swift pursuit, the vessel managed to cross the IMBL, putting it beyond Indian jurisdiction. However, the ICG deployed a fast sea boat, which, after a meticulous night-time search, successfully recovered the narcotics dumped overboard. The contraband has since been brought to Porbandar for further investigation, according to the Defence Ministry.
This operation marks the 13th successful joint effort between the Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS in recent years. It underscores a troubling trend: Gujarat’s vast and porous coastline has increasingly become a key entry point for narcotics into India.
Gujarat’s Long Coastline a Rising Flashpoint in India’s War on Narcotics
The Gujarat coastline, spanning a staggering 1,640 kilometers—the longest among all Indian states—has emerged as a persistent and complex challenge for maritime security agencies. Flanked by an intricate network of remote creeks, tidal inlets, and bustling fishing harbours, particularly in the strategically sensitive Kutch region, the state’s geography presents an almost tailor-made route for traffickers seeking to breach Indian waters undetected.
Its unique topography is only part of the problem. Gujarat’s geographical proximity to the ‘Golden Crescent’—one of the world’s most notorious drug-producing zones encompassing Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan—places it perilously close to the epicentre of the global narcotics trade. This convergence of geography and geopolitics has transformed Gujarat into a critical battleground in India’s ongoing war against drug trafficking.
In recent years, a series of high-profile operations have revealed the scale, sophistication, and international linkages of smuggling networks operating in and around Gujarat’s waters. One of the most dramatic of these came in February 2024, when Indian enforcement agencies seized a record-breaking 3,300 kg of narcotics from an Iranian fishing vessel off the state’s coast. With an estimated street value of over Rs 20,000 crore, the haul became the largest offshore drug bust in Indian history. The operation not only underscored the scale of trafficking operations but also drew attention to how foreign fishing vessels are increasingly being used to transport massive consignments across the Arabian Sea.
That landmark seizure followed another significant bust in November 2023, when Indian authorities intercepted 700 kg of methamphetamine from a different Iranian boat in the Arabian Sea. The meth, packed in sealed plastic containers and transferred mid-sea, pointed to a highly coordinated and technologically adept supply chain. The estimated value of that consignment exceeded Rs4,000 crore, and preliminary investigations suggested origins in Pakistan or Iran, with India as the intended destination market.
The pattern has since grown more alarming. In April 2024, Indian agencies recovered 173 kg of hashish from a fishing boat near Porbandar. Unlike previous seizures involving foreign vessels, this case involved an Indian-flagged boat, reportedly operating at the behest of a Pakistan-based syndicate. It marked a worrying evolution in smuggling tactics: rather than rely solely on foreign carriers, traffickers were now recruiting Indian nationals and vessels to carry out mid-sea transfers, thereby reducing suspicion and circumventing detection.
The vulnerability of Gujarat’s maritime frontier was dramatically brought to national attention back in September 2021 when a historic seizure of 2,988 kg of heroin took place at Mundra Port in Kutch. The heroin, shipped from Afghanistan and disguised as talcum powder, had been routed through Iran and smuggled in commercial shipping containers. Valued at over Rs 21,000 crore, the bust was not only one of the largest heroin seizures globally but also a wake-up call for Indian port security agencies. It exposed significant loopholes in the inspection and monitoring of inbound cargo, sparking a flurry of policy reviews and heightened surveillance protocols at Indian ports.
These recurring incidents reveal a troubling trend: Gujarat is not merely a transit point but a frontline in the battle against global narcotics networks. Its ports, harbours, and high seas have become arenas where transnational cartels test the limits of India’s coastal defences. From methamphetamine to heroin and hashish, and from Iranian trawlers to Indian fishing boats, the methods may vary—but the underlying threat remains consistent and deeply embedded.
Officials acknowledge that while agencies like the Indian Coast Guard, Gujarat ATS, and Narcotics Control Bureau have stepped up their vigilance, traffickers are constantly adapting, exploiting jurisdictional boundaries, and using increasingly complex tactics to stay ahead of enforcement.
As India ramps up its maritime domain awareness through enhanced surveillance, inter-agency coordination, and the use of technology such as drones and satellite tracking, the lessons from Gujarat are clear: a porous coastline, when left under-monitored, becomes a conduit not just for contraband but also for undermining national security itself.
Ravi Shankar
