Possible terror subtext in recent Gujarat drug busts

At least two seizures of heroin — 100 and 200 kg each — since the beginning of this year and a few smaller tranches later have put the security agencies on high alert in Gujarat. The estimated market price of 300 kg of heroin could be anything between Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 1500 crore

While the 1600-km long coastline of Gujarat had always been exploited by the smugglers in the past, the current haul indicates a more sinister geopolitical development, that has not only prompted the state anti-terror apparatus and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to move in, but ET has reliably learnt it has attracted the attention of the US investigative agencies as well.

A senior official in one of the agencies now monitoring the developments maintained on the condition of anonymity that with huge surplus production of opium in Afganistan, which is processed into heroin in Pakistan, there is a growing pressure on the narco traders to increase their supply through the sea route.

“While LoC remains too hot for such adventures, the vigil along the international border in Punjab and Rajasthan has also been heightened, leaving the sea route as the preferred zone for the smugglers,” said the official. He also said that with the Combined Task Force-150 (a multinational coalition of naval task force) maintaining a strong vigil over the Strait of Hormuz, Gujarat coast becomes an obvious choice for the Af-Pak narco-traffickers.

In the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw troops from Afganistan coupled with Pakistan’s enhanced belligerence over Kashmir, observers feel that the traffic would only increase in the days to come as the narco-economy is the principal feeder for terror groups operating in the Af-Pak region.

The use of Gujarat coastline as part of the transit route for the contraband has also raised concern among the agencies because if the terror network is being rebuilt, it can be exploited to push in arms and explosives into the country.

It may be remembered that back in 1993, a huge cache of RDX and arms, including AK 47 assault rifles, had landed in Gosabara off Porbandar, which was used by the Dawood Ibrahim group for the Mumbai blasts.

A Bruno, zonal director, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ahmedabad, maintained that apart from using the route as a transit one, there is concerted effort to “pump drugs” across urban centres to create demand for narcotics, which could perhaps be part of a deeper agenda. “Not all wars are fought with arms,” he said.

In March this year, the Gujarat Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) in a joint operation with the ICG had apprehended an Iranian fishing boat off Porbandar coast containing 100 kg of heroin. While the sailors blew the boat off in the sea, nine Iranian sailors were apprehended by the agencies. Subsequent investigations revealed the involvement of a gang based in Kasargod, Kerala, which was responsible for sending the consignment to UAE through small packets.

ICG had apprehended another Pakistani fishing boat Al Madina in May with 200 kg of heroin off the Jakhau coast and arrested 6 Pakistani seamen. The boat had as many as 330 packets of heroin, out of which 136 were thrown by the smugglers in the creek after the Coast Guard chased them.

ATS had also seized 5 kg pf heroin in August 12 from Salaya in Devbhoomi Dwarka district. Sources in the ATS later told ET that it was a part of a 300 kg consignment, rest of which was shipped to Punjab.

Agencies maintain that the smugglers usually use the deep sea-faring Indian boats to push in their contraband. “In most cases, the Indian sailors are not even aware what they are carrying,” said a senior official involved in monitoring the process. Such methods, involving dhows (sailing boats), are increasingly making it difficult for the agencies, he said.