News Desk
In a striking mid-sea operation, India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted a vessel bound for the Maldives, seizing 29.954 kilograms of hashish oil valued at approximately $4 million USD (₹33 crore INR or 61.6 million MVR) on March 7, 2025.
This marks India’s second major drug bust of the year destined for the Maldives, following a 12-kilogram haul in January 2025, reinforcing the country’s pivotal role in combating the international narcotics trade.
Sources close to the investigation confirm that the earlier 12 kg confiscated was linked to the same consignee based in the Maldives for this 30 kg seizure as well.
The operation unfolded after DRI officers, acting on precise intelligence, identified a tug vessel towing a barge loaded with rock boulders departing from Tuticorin Old Port in Tamil Nadu, India. Investigations revealed a Tuticorin-based gang had secretly loaded the hashish oil—sourced from India—onto the barge mid-voyage, with help from a crew member.
The Maldives has seen an influx of illicit substances, including hashish oil from India, methamphetamine from Sri Lanka, party drug tablets from China, and heroin from Pakistan.
On March 5, 2025, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted the vessel off the Kanyakumari coast in Indian waters and escorted it back to Tuticorin New Port by March 7.
Simultaneously, DRI teams apprehended the operation’s mastermind, his accomplice, and the crew member who had shared the vessel’s location with the gang.
A meticulous search uncovered two bags containing 29 plastic packets, disguised as food items, filled with a black, paste-like substance. Field tests confirmed it as hashish oil, with a street value of $3.95 million USD (₹32.94 crore INR or 60.8 million MVR).
The contraband was seized under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985, and the three suspects were arrested and placed in judicial custody on March 8.
This operation highlights India’s proactive stance in tackling drug trafficking. The swift, coordinated efforts of the DRI and ICG not only thwarted a major smuggling attempt but also showcased India’s advanced intelligence and maritime capabilities.
For the Maldives, where the narcotics trade threatens societal stability, India’s intervention is a vital lifeline in curbing the flow of drugs into the island nation.
The seizure—valued at $4 million USD, ₹33 crore INR, or 61.6 million MVR—disrupted a sophisticated trafficking network and sent a clear warning to criminals exploiting regional routes.
As investigations continue to unravel the syndicate’s broader connections, India stands tall as a global leader in the fight against drug smuggling, protecting its own shores and those of its neighbors with unwavering resolve.
