VIDEO: Indian 'sea warriors' armed with machine guns conduct anti-narcotics drill near Pakistan
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) held an extensive anti-narcotics exercise along the maritime boundary with Pakistan off the Gujarat coast on January 3. The ICG jawans carried out the drill near Okha and Sir Creek areas to be ready to stop the smuggling of drugs and weapons through the sea route.
In the video, the ICG jawans can be seen raiding a deserted coast and arresting the accused. H-191 hovercrafts were used during the extensive anti-narcotics drill.
Watch the video here.
#WATCH | The Indian Coast Guard conducts Exercise to prepare for preventing narcotics & arms smuggling through sea route off the coast of Gujarat. The exercise was performed along maritime boundary with Pakistan off the Gujarat coast near Okha & Sir Creek area pic.twitter.com/p0p1qq5EzA
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2023
Gujarat is a very sensitive state as it shares a border with Pakistan. The state’s coastline has emerged as an international drug smuggling transit hub in recent years. Therefore, the Indian Coast Guard has increased its patrolling activities near the International Maritime Border Line.
On December 26, a Pakistani boat with 10 crew members was intercepted off the Gujarat coast. The ICG officials seized a huge cache of arms, ammunitions and narcotics. The approximate value of the seized narcotics in the international market is Rs 300 crore.
The ICG was able to thwart the major intrusion with inputs shared by Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad. The ICG deployed its fast patrol ship 'ICGS Arinjay' for patrolling and spotted the Pakistani fishing boat 'Al Soheli' moving suspiciously in Indian waters.
On being challenged by the Coast Guard patrol ship, the boat started evasive manoeuvring and did not stop even after firing warning shots. The Coast Guard eventually managed to intercept and stop the boat.
The crew members and boat were brought to Okha port for further investigation. This was the seventh joint operation by the ICG and Gujarat ATS in the last 18 months, and the first apprehension wherein huge cache of arms, ammunition, and narcotics were recovered.
In the last 18 months, the jawans have arrested 44 Pakistanis, 7 Iranians, and seized more than 340 kg of heroin worth about Rs 1,930 crore.
First published: 3 January 2023, 12:53 IST