NEW DELHI: THE Coast Guard apprehended a Myanmarese boat with banned contraband approximately 125 nautical miles East of little Andaman on Friday, December 20. Six crew members with more than 300 kgs of a banned substance were apprehended in the second such incident in last three months.
DIG Operations HJ Singh said, “The Coast Guard in a swift sea - air coordinated operation apprehended six Myanmarese persons with banned contraband approximately 125 nautical miles East of Little Andaman.
The Myanmarese boat was detained for violations under the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances act, 1985.”
As per the CG at about 1200 hrs on December 20 CG Dornier sighted a non-Indian vessel operating east of little Andaman.
The Vessel was not responding on VHF. ICGS Aruna Asaf Ali, on patrol, was diverted for investigation. At about 1800 hrs on December 20, Aruna Asaf Ali sighted boat 125 nautical miles from the nearest land, Little Andaman.
The vessel failed to stop on being challenged by the ship.
The ship fired three warning shots in air and forced the vessel to stop, said the Coast Guard.
The ship entered Port Blair along with apprehended boat and crew December 22. NCB team ex-Kolkata which carried out the investigation said that the substance is believed to be banned drug Methaqualone.