Kolkata, July 23 — In an operation against trans‑border maritime crime, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has intercepted and apprehended a fishing boat along with its four Indian crew for their alleged involvement in the illegal trans‑border trafficking of arms and ammunition near the Indo‑Bangladesh International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The Indian Coast Guard said this in a statement on Thursday. The operation was conducted on Wednesday.
According to the statement, acting on specific intelligence shared by Central Intelligence Agency, the Indian Coast Guard launched a meticulously planned search operation off IMBL. The operation was executed in close coordination with the Sunderbans Forest Department and intelligence agencies.
The suspected boat departed from Jharkhali creek in South 24 Parganas district early Wednesday morning. The Coast Guard team undertook an intensive search in the area to identify and intercept the suspicious fishing vessel. After intercepting the fishing boat, a cache of illegally concealed arms and ammunition supposedly destined for Bangladesh was recovered. The timely apprehension of the boat thwarted the trans‑border gun‑running attempt by smugglers.
The statement noted that the success of the operation underscored the exceptional synergy and seamless coordination among the Indian Coast Guard, the Central Intelligence Agencies and field units of the Forest Department. It added that the timely exchange of intelligence and coordinated operational response were instrumental in ensuring the successful interception of the fishing boat and seizure of the illicit consignment.
Subsequently, the apprehended fishing boat along with its four crew members and the recovered arms and ammunition were handed over to the West Bengal Marine Police station in Sunderbans for detailed investigation and further legal proceedings.
The statement further said that the successful interdiction reaffirmed the Indian Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment towards safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers against trans‑border threats, including arms trafficking and smuggling of contraband.
It added that the force remains steadfast in its mission to ensure robust coastal and maritime security through enhanced surveillance, intelligence‑driven operations and close inter‑agency collaboration, thereby protecting the nation’s sovereignty and maritime interests.