The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a joint operation with the Indian Coast Guard seized 218 kg of heroin from two boats in a mid-sea drug bust off the coast of Lakshadweep Islands, according to information provided by the finance ministry today. 

According to sources, the street value of the heroin would be over Rs 1,500 crore.

An operation was launched by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after it developed specific intelligence over a period of several months that two Indian boats would be sailing from the coast of Tamil Nadu and would receive a huge quantity of narcotics somewhere in the Arabian sea, during the second or third week of May 2022.

Accordingly, a joint operation of DRI with Indian Coast Guard (ICG) codenamed Operation Khojbeen was launched on 7th May 2022. Under the operation, Coast Guard ship Sujeet, with DRI officials onboard, maintained a close watch near the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

After several days of continuous search and monitoring amidst very rough seas, two suspected vessels “Prince” and “Little Jesus” were noticed moving towards India. Both the Indian boats were intercepted by officers of the Coast Guard and DRI on 18th May 2022, off the coast of Lakshadweep Islands.

On questioning, some of the crew members in the boats confessed that they had received a huge quantity of heroin on the high sea and that they had concealed it in both the boats. The boats were then escorted to Kochi for further legal proceedings.

Also read:  Rs 434 crore worth heroin seized in DRI swoop at Delhi Airport’s cargo complex