Panaji:

The fire that broke out on July 19 on a merchant navy ship off the coast of Goa is under control, a senior Indian Coast Guard official said on Sunday, adding one crew member had died in the blaze.

MV Maersk Frankfurt, carrying 1,154 containers, including some with dangerous cargo like benzene and sodium cyanate, had caught fire some 102 nautical miles off the coast of Goa while on its way from Mundra in Gujarat to Colombo in Sri Lanka.

Dry chemical powder that was spread through helicopters on Saturday helped to a large extent in controlling the fire, ICG Deputy Inspector General Manoj Bhatia told PTI.

There is no fire in the portion in which the dangerous cargo is stocked, the ICG deputy inspector general asserted.

“The firefighting operation is still on. The fire is under control. I would not say it is fully doused. Four ships are already in the area and also helicopters are taking regular sorties. The ICG spread dry chemical powder through helicopters on Saturday, which has controlled the fire to a larger extent,” Mr Bhatia said.

One of the 22 crew members is reportedly dead, he said, adding there is no immediate danger to anyone on the ship.

“The ICG is keeping the vessel slightly away from the coast. We have asked state agencies to prepare for any exigencies that may occur due to oil pollution. We have given warning to all the concerned states so that disaster contingency plan is activated towards pollution response,” he said.

Mr Bhatia said past experience has shown such fires take 3-4 days to be put out completely, and even then the area remains heated, which one needs to keep a watch on.

Mr Bhatia said fire in the part of the ship where the dangerous cargo is stocked could have resulted in a major disaster.

“As of now there is no oil pollution, no damage to the ship. It is just preparedness that once such a incident happens we have to keep all precautions in place,” he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ahmedabad/New Delhi:

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has seized 173 kg of narcotics from an Indian fishing boat and detained two crew members on board the vessel off the Gujarat coast, an official said on Monday.

The ICG and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) apprehended the fishing boat in a joint operation in the high seas on Sunday afternoon, the coast guard said in a release in Ahmedabad.

In back-to-back Anti Narco Operations, Indian Coast Guard ship jointly with ATS Gujarat apprehended an Indian Fishing Boat with 173 kg of narcotics and 2 perpetrators at sea. Further investigations are in progress. The operation follows the seizure of a Pakistani Fishing Boat on… pic.twitter.com/4fG4LvJTI0

— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2024

The seizure comes a day after the ICG, ATS and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in a joint operation, recovered heroin worth Rs 600 crore from a Pakistani boat with 14 crew members.

According to official sources, a total of 173 kgs of Hashish (extracted from cannabis) along with two Indians have been caught as part of a joint operation.

“Based on specific and credible intelligence inputs from the ATS, the ICG strategically deployed its ships and aircraft, ensuring that the boat does not evade the sea-air coordinated surveillance,” the release said.

The boat was intercepted after its proper identification, and investigations confirmed that the two accused persons were involved in smuggling around 173 kg of drugs, it said.

“This operation is the ICG’s 12th apprehension in the last three years and a testimony of coordination and success of joint efforts of ICG and ATS Gujarat for appropriate response to drug trafficking through seas,” it said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Porbandar:

The Indian Coast Guard today intercepted a suspicious Pakistani boat that had nearly 86 kg of drugs worth Rs 600 crore. Acting on intelligence, the Coast Guard along with the Anti-terrorism Squad (ATS) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), launched a crackdown on the drug trafficking syndicate operating in the region.

Along with the drugs, 14 crew members from the Pakistani vessel were also detained.

“In a breathtaking overnight operation, the Indian Coast Guard undertook an intelligence-based anti-narcotics operation at sea. Approx 86 kg of narcotics worth Rs 600 crore has been apprehended along with 14 crew from the Pakistani boat,” the Coast Guard said in a press release.

The agency deployed ships and aircraft on concurrent missions to ensure the efficiency of the operation. One of the key vessels involved in the operation was the Coast Guard ship Rajratan, which had officials from both the NCB and ATS on board.

Despite attempts by the suspected drug-laden boat to evade capture, the vigilant ship successfully identified and intercepted it. A specialized team from the ship conducted a thorough search, confirming the presence of drugs onboard.

“No amount of evasive manoeuvring tactics employed by the drug laden boat could save it from the swift and strong ICG ship Rajratan. Ship’s specialist team embarked the suspect boat and after thorough checks, confirmed the presence of the sizeable amount narcotics,” Coast Guard said.

Anti #Narco#Operations@IndiaCoastGuard Ship Rajratan with #ATS#Gujarat & #NCB@narcoticsbureau in an overnight sea – air coordinated joint ops apprehends #Pakistani boat in Arabian Sea, West of #Porbandar with 14 Pak crew & @86 Kg contraband worth approx ₹ 600Cr in… pic.twitter.com/N49LfrYLzz

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) April 28, 2024

The seized Pakistani boat, along with its crew, is being brought to Porbandar for further investigation.

New Delhi:

The Indian Coast Guard has apprehended an Indian fishing boat with “unauthorised cash” off the Maharashtra coast, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The operation revealed a “carriage of Rs 11.46 lakh which was meant to be given to some Indian OSV (Offshore Supply Vessel) operating from offshore areas in return of smuggled diesel”, the ministry said in a statement.

“The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has apprehended an Indian fishing boat carrying unauthorised cash, reported to be involved in the smuggling of diesel, 83 nautical miles (nm) northwest off Mumbai,” it said.

The vessel was brought to Mumbai anchorage in the early hours of Wednesday. A joint investigation with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Customs, and state police is being carried out to trace the linkages and to take further legal actions by respective agencies, officials said.

@IndiaCoastGuard Ship Subhadra Kumari Chauhan in an INT OP apprehended an #Indian fishing boat allegedly involved in illegal transshipment of #Diesel off #Mumbai Coast and recovered Rs 11.46 lakh of currency meant for diesel smuggling. OP involved multi ship/shore coordination… pic.twitter.com/L76JWKBF2W

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) April 17, 2024

The suspected boat was located and boarded on the night of April 15.

Based on a tip-off from Customs, the ICG Regional Headquarters (West) had launched an operation, involving a sustained search during challenging night conditions amid considerable fishing and merchant traffic covering an area of 200 square miles including offshore development areas off Maharashtra coast, the statement said.

“In a coordinated operation, comprising a search by two ICG Fast Patrol Vessels and one Interceptor Boat, the suspected boat was located and boarded on the night of April 15,” it added.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the boat, with five crew, departed Mandwa port on April 14 to “effect rendezvous with suspected Indian Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV) with an intent to smuggle diesel”, the statement said.

It was found out that the boat was operating with modified holds to store fuel up to 20,000 litres and operating with “false/multiple identities”, it said.

Correlation with available data on the suspect boat had indicated multiple discrepancies in vessel registration, the statement said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared a proposal for 34 new Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv choppers, of which nine will be inducted in the Indian Coast Guard while 25 of them will go to the Indian Army.

The helicopters would be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

The Indian Coast Guard is going to get nine of these choppers, while the Indian Army will be inducting 25 of them into their fleets, top government sources told ANI.

Seen as a major push towards indigenization, sources added that the choppers in the Indian Coast Guard are set to replace the old light utility choppers, while the Indian Army would be using the choppers for multiple roles.

Both projects are expected to be worth over Rs 8,000 crore and give a boost to indigenization.

The government has also cleared the project related to upgrading the BMP infantry combat vehicles of the mechanized infantry directorate of the Indian Army.

The Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) is a multi-role, new-generation helicopter in the 5.5-ton weight class, indigenously designed and developed by HAL.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chennai:

As many as 99 kg of hashish, said to be worth Rs 108 crore, was seized from a country boat near Mandapam coast in Tamil Nadu by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Indian Coast Guard Mandapam, an official said on Tuesday.

The country craft was heading toward Sri Lanka, and it was intercepted after a hot pursuit by the joint team of officials from the DRI, Chennai zonal unit, and ICG Mandapam.

Following a tip-off that narcotics substances were being smuggled from India to Sri Lanka via the coastal route near the Mandapam Sea coast, the officials took up surveillance over the Gulf of Mannar through a Coast Guard ship on the intervening night of March 4 and 5.

“During the surveillance in the deep sea, officers of DRI and the Coast Guard identified a country boat sailing towards Sri Lanka and intercepted the same after a brief hot pursuit,” an official release here said. On interception, officers rummaged the boat and found five sacks concealed inside it.

In its continuous hunt against smuggling of narcotics substances @IndiaCoastGuard & #DRI Chennai in a joint operation apprehended a country boat off #Mandapam & seized 99 kgs hashish drug worth Rs 108 crores. #anti-narco ops pic.twitter.com/gtXL6zmuAq

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) March 5, 2024

The country boat along with the contraband and three persons on board were brought to Coast Guard Station Mandapam this morning for further investigation.

During interrogation, they admitted that the bags were packed with narcotic substances and that they received the bags from a person in the Pamban coastal area and acted upon his instructions to carry the same to be delivered to an unknown person from Sri Lanka in the deep sea, the release said.

Following this, the DRI apprehended the said person from his house and upon questioning it was found that this man was the kingpin who organised the smuggling of narcotics substances from India to Sri Lanka via the coastal route.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that the seized drugs were transported from different parts of the country for further transportation to Sri Lanka by country boats,” the release stated.

A total of 111 packets of hashish weighing 99 kgs valued at Rs 108 crore in the international market was seized under the NDPS Act. All four persons were apprehended for further investigation, the release said.

This is a major haul of narcotic substances initiated by the DRI as part of its sustained efforts to combat drug trafficking.

On March 1, the DRI officials seized Rs 180 crore worth of narcotic drug methamphetamine meant to be transported to Sri Lanka from a rail passenger in Madurai and a dumpyard in Chennai. They also detained the man and his wife in connection with the seizure. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)