AHMEDABAD: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has caught a Pakistani boat with 10 crew members in the Indian waters off the Gujarat coast. The fishing boat, ‘Yaseen’, was intercepted by ICG vessel ‘Ankit’ during an operational patrol on Saturday night, an official said. The crew, when questioned, could not justify their presence in the Indian waters in the Arabia Sea, the official added.
On seeing the Indian ship, the Pakistani boat attempted to flee back towards the Pakistani waters but the ICG vessel, despite poor weather and visibility conditions, moved swiftly and intercepted it. The boat Yaseen, registered at Ketibandar, was found in possession of approximately 2,000 kg of fish and 600 litres of diesel. The boat, along with the crew, is being towed to Porbandar for detailed investigation and interrogation, the ICG said.
The Coast Guard has been extra vigilant of late since traffickers from Pakistan have been trying to use the Gujarat coast as a transit route to smuggle narcotics into India. Last month, the ICG had, in a joint operation with Gujarat ATS, apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat carrying 77 kg heroin worth Rs 400 crore.