Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, revealed that the seizure of 526 kg of high-grade narcotics and the arrest of five Pakistani nationals in the Arabian Sea off Lakshadweep was the result of a 16-day coordinated operation involving multiple Indian security agencies. Shah said the Narendra Modi government remained determined to protect the country's youth from the scourge of drugs.

The Interception: What Happened on 25 September

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), acting on intelligence about a suspected illicit consignment moving through key maritime corridors, established radar contact with a suspicious dhow west of the Lakshadweep archipelago. The vessel was intercepted on 25 September, approximately 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai — well within India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

After sustained aerial and surface tracking, Coast Guard units initiated a hot pursuit as the vessel attempted evasive manoeuvres. 'Specialised boarding teams executed a high-seas tactical assault, securing the vessel and detaining all five crew members without incident,' the ICG said in its official statement.

The Seizure: Drugs, the Vessel, and the Arrests

A thorough search of the Iranian dhow yielded 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin, valued at over ₹3,000 crore. The joint operation was carried out by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), the Indian Coast Guard, and central intelligence agencies. The five Pakistani nationals arrested aboard have since been escorted to Mumbai harbour, where a multi-agency investigation is currently underway to map the syndicate's financial trail and identify domestic distribution networks.

In a post on X, Shah described the operation as 'a stellar example of coordination and cooperation among agencies,' adding that the 16-day-long operation also seized an Iranian boat.

Pakistan's Role and the Narco-Terror Link

Officials have pointed to Pakistan's repeated involvement in narcotics smuggling through India's maritime routes. An Intelligence Bureau official stated that destroying narcotics cartels 'deals a severe setback to terror networks,' which are described as being 'completely reliant on money earned through the narcotics trade.' The official attributed several such smuggling networks to Inter Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed groups targeting India.

Notably, this seizure is part of a pattern of maritime drug interdictions in the Arabian Sea, with agencies increasingly focused on transnational syndicates shifting operations from major cities to smaller towns as urban surveillance tightens.

India's Broader Anti-Narcotics Campaign: Scale and Numbers

According to official data, between 2014 and 2026, Indian agencies have seized over 1.18 crore kg of drugs valued at approximately ₹1.84 lakh crore. In the same period, 42.47 lakh kg of narcotics valued at ₹89,896 crore were destroyed. Annual seizures reached an all-time high in 2024, when between 1,330 and 1,691 tonnes were seized — a 55% increase over 2023.

Shah had earlier said agencies would operate at the district level to break 100 major international and inter-state drug syndicates, with the stated goal of a drug-free India. The government has also been coordinating with international counterparts to extradite drug lords operating from across India's borders.

What Comes Next

Investigators at Mumbai harbour are working to identify the wider network behind the intercepted consignment and its intended receivers. The ICG reaffirmed its mission readiness, stating that it remains 'resolutely postured to secure national maritime frontiers, combat organised crime, and dismantle transnational cartels.' Further arrests and network mapping are expected as the probe advances.