Indian Coast Guard, Gujarat ATS seize 115 kg cocaine off Mundra coast
Synopsis
In their fifteenth joint operation in five years, the Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS pulled 115 kg of cocaine — worth an estimated ₹1,150 crore — from the sea off Mundra after spotting bags being thrown overboard from a container vessel at night. The bust underscores how India's western coastline has become a critical front in the war on maritime drug trafficking.
Key Takeaways
The Indian Coast Guard and ATS Gujarat seized approximately 115 kg of cocaine off the Mundra coast on the night of 25-26 May 2026 .
The contraband — 115 packets of roughly 1 kg each — was recovered from the sea after bags were thrown overboard from container vessel MV Europe .
Estimated international market value of the seized cocaine is approximately ₹1,150 crore , per open-source assessments.
This is the 15th joint anti-narcotics operation by ICG and ATS Gujarat in the last five years .
MV Europe has been brought to port; joint investigations by ICG, ATS Gujarat, and other agencies are ongoing.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and ATS Gujarat jointly seized approximately 115 kg of cocaine during a night operation conducted between 25 and 26 May 2026 off the Mundra coast in Gujarat, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The intelligence-based maritime anti-smuggling operation recovered the contraband from the sea after suspicious activity was observed aboard a container vessel anchored in the area.
How the Operation Unfolded
Acting on specific, actionable intelligence shared by ATS Gujarat, ICG Interceptor Boats — with ATS personnel on board — conducted an extensive search of the Mundra anchorage area during the dark hours of the night. The joint team spotted suspicious activity aboard MV Europe, a container vessel anchored approximately five nautical miles off Mundra, where several bags were seen being thrown overboard.
Operating under extremely challenging low-visibility conditions, the team swiftly moved to the location and recovered five bags from the sea. On examination, the bags were found to contain packets of white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine — a total of 115 packets, each weighing approximately one kg.
Scale of the Seizure
The 115 kg haul carries an estimated international market value of approximately ₹1,150 crore, according to open-source assessments. The seized consignment represents one of the larger single-operation cocaine recoveries in recent maritime enforcement history along India's western coastline.
MV Europe has since been brought to port for further investigation. Joint inquiries by the ICG, ATS Gujarat, and other concerned agencies are currently under way, officials said.
Part of a Sustained Pattern
This is the fifteenth successful anti-narcotics operation jointly undertaken by the ICG and ATS Gujarat in the last five years, according to officials. The agencies have built a track record of coordinated maritime interdiction, with each successive operation reportedly drawing on refined intelligence-sharing protocols developed over time.
This comes amid a broader national push under the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' campaign to curb narcotics trafficking through all entry points, including India's extensive coastline. The western coast, with its proximity to major international shipping lanes, has emerged as a recurring pressure point for drug interdiction agencies.
What Happens Next
Investigators from the ICG, ATS Gujarat, and other agencies are examining the vessel and its crew to establish the origin, intended destination, and network behind the consignment. The outcome of these inquiries is expected to determine whether further arrests or seizures follow.
Point of View
But the recurring nature of these seizures off Gujarat's coast also signals a persistent supply-side problem that enforcement alone cannot solve. The ₹1,150 crore estimated street value of a single 115-kg haul suggests the economics of maritime drug trafficking remain deeply attractive to smuggling networks — meaning interdiction, however effective, is fighting an incentive structure that keeps replenishing itself. The fact that bags were being thrown overboard from a container vessel in a busy anchorage points to brazen operational confidence on the traffickers' side. The real test is whether the investigation into MV Europe yields upstream network intelligence, or whether this remains a seizure statistic without a prosecution chain.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS operation off Mundra?
Approximately 115 kg of cocaine, packed in 115 individual packets of roughly one kg each, was seized from the sea off the Mundra coast on the night of 25-26 May 2026. The contraband has an estimated international market value of ₹1,150 crore.
How was the cocaine discovered during the operation?
Acting on intelligence from ATS Gujarat, ICG Interceptor Boats with ATS personnel on board observed suspicious activity aboard container vessel MV Europe, anchored about five nautical miles off Mundra. Bags were seen being thrown overboard, and the joint team recovered five bags from the sea under low-visibility night conditions.
What is the significance of this operation?
This is the fifteenth joint anti-narcotics operation conducted by the Indian Coast Guard and ATS Gujarat in the last five years, reflecting sustained interagency coordination. It is also one of the larger single-operation cocaine recoveries along India's western coast in recent years.
What has happened to the vessel MV Europe?
MV Europe has been brought to port following the seizure. Joint investigations by the ICG, ATS Gujarat, and other concerned agencies are currently in progress to determine the origin, intended destination, and network behind the consignment.
Where did the operation take place?
The operation was conducted in the Mundra anchorage area off the coast of Gujarat, with the vessel MV Europe located approximately five nautical miles off Mundra port.
