NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy’s mission deployed warship has succeeded in seizing a large consignment of narcotics in the Western Indian Ocean region.
The Navy on Wednesday said, “Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tarkash, a frontline frigate of the Indian Navy operating under the Western Naval Command, has successfully intercepted and seized over 2500 kg of narcotics in the Western Indian Ocean.
On March 31, 2025, while on patrol, INS Tarkash received multiple inputs from Indian Navy P8I aircraft regarding suspicious vessels operating in the area. These vessels were believed to be involved in illicit activities, including narcotics trafficking. The P8is are Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft.
In response, the ship altered its course to intercept the suspicious vessels.
“After systematically interrogating all suspicious vessels in the vicinity, INS Tarkash intercepted and boarded a suspect dhow, owing to the coordinated efforts with the P8I and the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai.” Said the Navy.
A specialist boarding team, along with Marine Commandos, boarded the suspect vessel and conducted a thorough search, leading to the discovery of various sealed packets. Further search and interrogation revealed over 2,500 kgs of narcotic substances (including 2386 kgs of hashish and 121 kgs of heroin) stored in different cargo holds and compartments onboard the vessel. The suspicious dhow was subsequently brought under the control of INS Tarkash, and the crew underwent comprehensive questioning regarding their modus operandi and the presence of other similar vessels in the area.
Additionally, the ship launched its integral helicopter to monitor the activities of the suspicious vessel and identify other vessels likely operating in the area.
This seizure underscores the effectiveness and professionalism of the Indian Navy in deterring and disrupting illicit activities, including narcotics trafficking at sea. The Indian Navy’s participation in multinational exercises aims to promote security, stability, and prosperity across international waters in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
This operation underscores the Indian Navy's unwavering commitment to combating maritime crime and bolstering regional security.
Deployed in the Western Indian Ocean since January 2025 for Maritime Security Operations, INS Tarkash is actively supporting Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, which is part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and is based in Bahrain. The ship is participating in the multi-national forces joint focus operation, Anzac Tiger.
Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 is one of five task forces operated by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). CTF 150 conducts Maritime Security Operations (MSO) outside the Arabian Gulf to ensure that legitimate commercial shipping can transit the region, free from non-state threats.
The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a 46 nation maritime partnership, including India, working towards upholding the International Rules Based Order (IRBO) by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas and promoting security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.