Officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) recovered almost 200 kgs of heroin worth Rs 1,526 crore in an exceptional mid-sea narcotics raid off the coast of Lakshadweep Islands on Friday.

A dramatic video published by news agency ANI shows coast guards pursuing two boats, dubbed ‘Prince’ and ‘Little Jesus,’ in very strong waves. The boats were discovered following many days of constant search and monitoring as part of a combined operation dubbed “Operation Khojbeen.” Officers from the ICG and DRI intercepted both boats.

WATCH – Indian Coast Guard ships pursued two boats dubbed Prince and Little Jesus off the coast of Lakshadweep and apprehended them carrying drugs worth over Rs. 1,520 crores. Operation ‘Khojbeen’ was launched in collaboration with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence

According to DRI officials, two Indian boats will sail off the coast of Tamil Nadu and obtain narcotics in large quantities somewhere in the Arabian Sea around the second/third week of May 2022.

On 18 May, a big cargo of narcotics was recovered from two IFBs off the coast of #Lakshadweep in a combined operation by @IndiaCoastGuard and DRI. The operation khojbeen resulted in the recovery of 218 kg of heroin. #ArabianSea

“A thorough examination of both vessels was conducted at the Coast Guard District Headquarters in Kochi, resulting in the recovery of 218 packets of 1 kg heroin. The seized material looks to be high-grade heroin, with an estimated value of Rs 1,526 crore in the international criminal market, according to a ministry statement obtained by news agency PTI.

This is DRI’s fourth major narcotics bust in the last month. Previously, on April 20, 2022, DRI found 205.6 kg of heroin from a commercial import cargo of gypsum powder at the Kandla port, 396 kg of thread (mixed with heroin) at the Pipavav port, and 62 kg of heroin at the Air Cargo Complex, IGI New Delhi May 10, 20222, totally valued at approximately Rs. 2500 crores in the international illicit market.