The security officials unearthed 140 kilograms of drugs (heroin) worth over a crore and two satellite phones from the boat. The boat was intercepted somewhere between the Jakhau and Porbandar ports, said reports.
A Pakistani vessel with 8 suspected smugglers on board was understood to have been intercepted off the coast of Porbandar on Monday.
Accodring to reports, the operation was carried out by a joint team of the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy. Three warships from the navy and Coast Guard and a Dornier surveillance aircraft were involved in the operation.
The initial investigations have led to the recovery of 232 packets of narcotics (suspected to be heroin and worth up to Rs 600 crore in the international markets). The boat was intercepted somewhere between the Jakhau Porbandar ports.
The operation was launched on April 18 after receiving intelligence inputs. It was conducted in close coordination of the western command of Indian Navy along with north-west regional headquarters of the Indian Coast Guard, it said.
Multiple units from the Navy and the Coast Guard were deployed for the operation, which included Indian Naval ships 'Nirghat' and 'Kondul', along with Coast Guard ship 'Sangram', according to the statement.
The operation to nab the suspected boat was augmented by extensive aerial searches undertaken by Naval and Coast Guard aircraft, including Dorniers, IL38 and P8Is, it said.
All the persons apprehended in the operation are likely to be interrogated jointly by the Intelligence Bureau, Indian Coast Guard and the Navy.
Earlier, a suspicious fishing boat carrying explosives from Pakistan was intercepted by Indian Coast Guard in Arabian Sea near Indo-Pak maritime boundary but it sank after the crew on board set it on fire, an incident that comes a month after sixth anniversary of the Mumbai terror attack.
The incident, which occurred on the intervening night of December 31, 2014, and January 1 some 365-km off the Porbander coast, was being regarded in some quarters as being reminiscent of the 2008 Mumbai terror strike.
(with agency inputs)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}