Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has said it has intercepted and seized at least 150 kilograms of heroin worth millions of dollars in a joint operation from a boat on its way from Pakistan days after it was detected 172 nautical miles from the northern tip of Maldives.
MNDF said it received information from Indian Coast Guard regarding the vessel bearing an Iranian flag on October 1. MNDF said the operation was conducted by Maldivian Coast Guard, and Drug Enforcement Department and Drug Intelligence Department of Maldives Police Service, with the support from Indian Coast Guard and Sri Lankan Coast Guard.
Citing officials aware of the development, Indian media outlets report it is the fifth haul of drugs shipped from Pakistan through the sea that has been recovered over the last three months. In this regard, the Sri Lankan Coast Guard seized 140 kilograms of heroin from a vessel registered in Iran last July in a similar coordinated operation.
In the latest case, Indian security agencies detected the boat on September 30 about 500 nautical miles off the Kochi coast. In addition to Indian Coast Guard, it has been reported that Sri Lankan and Maldivian Coast Guards were also alerted and deployed to intercept the vessel in coordination with their Indian counterparts, according to officials that spoke to Indian media.
Maldivian Coast Guard and Maldivian Police Service intercepted and seized the vessel in Maldivian waters on October 5. It was not immediately clear where the boat was heading.
However, Maldives Police Service said a Maldivian fishing vessel was also captured from the area based on an intelligence report that it was travelling to meet the Iranian flagged boat carrying drugs at sea. There were 2 Maldivians and 2 Bangladeshis on the fishing vessel, according to the Maldivian police.
India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives have signed a tripartite maritime security pact in July 2013 under which they cooperate in monitoring their Exclusive Economic Zones as well as undertake search, rescue and anti-piracy operations. The countries also share and track information on merchant vessels.