A Pakistani fishing vessel carrying weapons and 10 crew members was intercepted by the Indian Coast Guard in the Indian waters off the Gujarat coast, the official Twitter account of the agency tweeted.
The boat, named Al Soheli, was intercepted in a joint operation with the Gujarat ATS squad. It was reportedly carrying 10 crew members, arms, ammunition, and approximately 40 kilograms of narcotics worth Rs 300 crores. The agency took the boat to Okha for further investigation
“@IndiaCoastGuard in joint ops with ATS #Gujarat, apprehended #Pakistani Fishing Boat Al Soheli with 10 crew in Indian waters. During rummaging Arms, ammunition & approx 40 Kgs #narcotics worth Rs 300 cr found concealed. Boat being brought to #Okha for further investigation,” the Twitter account of the Indian Coast Guard tweeted.
@IndiaCoastGuard in joint ops with ATS #Gujarat, apprehended #Pakistani Fishing Boat Al Soheli with 10 crew in Indian waters. During rummaging Arms, ammunition & approx 40 Kgs #narcotics worth Rs 300 cr found concealed. Boat being brought to #Okha for further investigation. pic.twitter.com/3YwzKne6bQ
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) December 26, 2022
For years, Pakistan has used the sea route to infiltrate terrorists and smuggle narcotics into India. In the past several months, the coast guard and the Gujarat police have foiled many smuggling bids by Pakistani fish trawlers trying to illegally spirit away contraband into India through the sea route.
In August 2022, Deepan Bhadran, ATS Deputy Inspector General, said smugglers have started employing two distinct methods to get narcotics into the nation. “They either use a fishing boat to enter Gujarat through the sea route illegally or send the contraband in shipping containers which land at our ports. But, Gujarat ATS, in coordination with central agencies like DRI and Coast Guard, has foiled all these attempts during the last few years,” Bhadran was quoted as saying.
Mumbai 26/11 attackers had infiltrated India through a sea route
Not just smugglers but terrorists have also used the sea route to intrude into India and carry out their nefarious activities. Mumbai 26/11 attackers, including Ajmal Amir Kasab, had entered Mumbai through the sea route, before launching a well co-ordinated multiple simultaneous attacks at various nerve centres of the city, bringing the financial hub of the country to a grinding halt and leaving over 160 people dead in their wake.
On 26 November 2008, 10 Lashkar-e Toiba terrorists from Pakistan reached Mumbai through the sea route and lay siege to the city for more than 60 hours. They unleashed mayhem in the city, killing innocent people in their wake as they opened fire with complete abandon. About 166 people were killed in the attack, including 18 security personnel, and scores of others were rendered injured and maimed.
While the security forces killed 9 terrorists in the encounter that ensued following the attacks which were later branded as Mumbai 26/11 attacks, they managed to grab hold of one Pakistani terrorist alive, Ajmal Amir Kasab, who was caught alive by the security forces when he sped through the Marine Drive a little after midnight on November 27, 2008. From Kasab, the police were able to uncover the grand conspiracy hatched by terrorists in Pakistan to wreak havoc in the financial capital of India.
