NEW DELHI: The campaign against narcotics and contraband being pushed into the mainland using the sea routes run by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is paying dividends. Till now contraband worth more than `2,000 cr has been apprehended this year and the success is being attributed to joint operation and intelligence sharing.
The ICG sources told The New Indian Express that in 2020 552kg of contraband was apprehended valued `1,465.5Cr. In the year 2021 591kg and 2022 so far 323kg of contraband have been confiscated which is to the tune of `3,950.3Cr and `2,056 Cr respectively. The overall apprehension of narcotics since 2020 so far has been 1466Kg amounting to the approximate cost of `7471.8 crores.
“There has been smooth intelligence sharing and on-ground joint operations which have been leading to success in apprehensions.” Added the sources. In May month one of the biggest hauls was made in a joint operation launched by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and the ICG based on specific intelligence. The information was that two Indian boats would be sailing from the coast of Tamil Nadu and would receive narcotics in huge quantities somewhere in the Arabian sea, during the second/third week of May 2022.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) codenamed Operation Khojbeen was launched on 7th May 2022 and a close watch was maintained near the Exclusive Economic Zone. After several days of continuous search and monitoring amidst very rough seas, two suspected boats “Prince” and “Little Jesus” were intercepted.