136th OSCC meeting highlights offshore asset protection
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 136th Offshore Security Coordination Committee (OSCC) meeting in Hyderabad, Telangana, today.
The Indian Coast Guard has apprehended a suspected fishing boat in Andaman seas which was carrying approximately 5500 kgs of prohibited drug Methamphetamine along with one portable Satellite phone, an official statement said.
As per the ICG on Monday, in the recent past there has been a rise in detection and sighting of poachers in Andaman seas.
The Andaman seas were kept under strict surveillance owing to recent inputs revealed during joint interrogation of an apprehended poacher.
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The Coast Guard’s aircraft during reconnaissance sortie detected a boat which was operating in a suspicious manner on Sunday.
The information was passed on to the Joint Operation Centre (JOC), which subsequently deployed an ICG Fast Patrol Vessel, Aruna Asaf Ali from Vijaya Puram to intercept the suspicious boat.
The ICG ship, despite prevailing rough sea conditions, proceeded with best speed and intercepted one fishing boat which did not match the characteristics of a local Indian boat.
It was accordingly shadowed and later upon search, the boarding party detected 5500 kgs of white crystalline compound onboard along with one portable satellite phone.
The white crystalline compound was anticipated to be contraband and hence the boat was apprehended, and subsequently, brought to Sri Vijaya Puram for further investigation on Monday.
As per the coast guard, this operation represents a monumental success in the fight against illegal drug trafficking and poaching in Indian waters.
The seizure is the largest-ever drug haul by the Indian Coast Guard in Indian maritime history.
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