Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], September 30 (ANI): In a major joint operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted an Iranian boat in the deep sea and seized 526 kilograms of contraband, exposing an international smuggling route linked to notorious drug kingpin Haji Salim, officials said on Wednesday.
The intercepted vessel, named 'Azad', was carrying around 400 kg of methamphetamine and 126 kg of heroin. Five individuals aboard the boat—identified as Mohammad Yaqub Balochi, Shakirullah, Faridullah, Ahmed Khan, and Wahidullah Khan—have been taken into custody following preliminary interrogation.
Detailing the operation, Superintendent of Police, Gujarat ATS, K Siddharth said, "On September 10, our Police Inspector, Jatin Patel, received information regarding a secret meeting in Ahmedabad. It was revealed that a narcotics smuggling operation linked to the network of Haji Salim was likely to take place. The meeting involved a Nigerian national and an associate of a wanted NDPS accused."
He further noted that the syndicate had dispatched the Iranian vessel towards Indian waters with plans to offload the illicit cargo mid-sea onto a local fishing craft.
"We learned that an Iranian boat named 'Azad' had departed from Iran with a narcotics shipment, heading towards the waters off Kochi, Lakshadweep, and Mumbai. The primary plan was to transfer the consignment to a Tamil Nadu-registered boat in these waters. We also discovered that an advance payment had already been made," the SP added.
Upon verifying the intelligence, the ATS coordinated with central intelligence agencies and the Indian Coast Guard to execute a mid-sea interception strategy.
"Once the information was confirmed as accurate, we decided to plan the operation in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard. Following discussions, two senior inspectors from our team travelled from Gujarat to Kochi on September 14. There, they joined the Indian Coast Guard team and set sail on an Indian Coast Guard ship on September 14 to assess operational feasibility and conduct patrols in the targeted waters," Siddharth said.
After days of continuous surveillance and monitoring suspicious maritime traffic across the Arabian Sea, the joint team sighted the suspect vessel on September 25.
"On the evening of September 25th, the Indian Coast Guard and our team intercepted a suspicious Iranian boat—named 'Azad'—which corroborated the intelligence we had received. Upon intercepting the vessel, we discovered an illicit shipment on board," the official confirmed.
The seized boat and its crew were escorted to Mumbai, where official search and seizure formalities were initiated early Wednesday morning. According to investigators, the syndicate intended to transport the consignment to Tamil Nadu's coastal belt before moving it inland toward northern states, including Punjab.
Further investigation is underway to trace the domestic network involved in receiving the shipment.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a sharp political attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, claiming that Gujarat has turned into the "gateway for drugs in India" following a massive 526-kilogram narcotics bust.
Reacting to revelations by law enforcement that the seized contraband was intended to be trafficked to Punjab, AAP accused the ruling party of failing to curb maritime drug smuggling through Gujarat and alleged that narcotics flow through BJP-governed states into Punjab.
In a post on X, the AAP stated, "No more evidence is required. It is now crystal clear that GUJARAT IS THE GATEWAY FOR DRUGS IN INDIA. We have said this earlier, and this seizure has proved it yet again."
No more evidence is required. It is now crystal clear that GUJARAT IS THE GATEWAY FOR DRUGS IN INDIA. We have said this earlier, and this seizure has proved it yet again. Drugs flow from Gujarat through BJP-ruled states into Punjab, destroying the lives of Punjab’s youth, while… https://t.co/0YWI6BElwz pic.twitter.com/UXo7gL6WSa
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) September 30, 2026
The party further accused the BJP of trying to defame Punjab while drugs continuously transit through western corridors.
"Drugs flow from Gujarat through BJP-ruled states into Punjab, destroying the lives of Punjab’s youth, while the BJP is busy organising fake yatras to defame Punjab," the party said in its post.
Taking a direct swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the party urged the central authorities to ensure the proper disposal of the seized contraband.
"Mr. Home Minister, make sure the drugs seized are properly destroyed. We don’t want your officials coming up with another excuse this time that the drugs were 'eaten by rats,'" the party added.
The remarks come in the wake of a major joint operation by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), during which an Iranian fishing vessel was intercepted at sea, leading to the seizure of 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin linked to an international syndicate headed by drug lord Haji Salim. (ANI)
