MUMBAI: A decade after after eight Pakistani nationals who had sailed 600 nautical miles across the Arabian Sea, from Karachi to National Maritime Border, were intercepted by an Indian Coast Guard ship along with 232 kgs of heroin worth Rs 6.93 crore kept in 232 packets, a special NDPS court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced them to 20 years rigorous imprisonment.The eight have been in a city jail since their arrests in 2015.
Among the accused are Alibaksha Sindhi, Maksud Masim, Mohammad Natho, Mohammad Ahmad Inayat, Mohammad Yusuf Gagawani, Mohammad Yunus Sindhi, Mohammad Gulhasan Sindhi and Gulhasan Sidhiq Sindhi.
On August 18, 2022 11 big blue plastic drums made their way over a 6 km distance in a tempo from Yellow Gate police station to the Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court near Kala Ghoda. In 2015, these drums had travelled over 600 nautical miles across the Arabian Sea, from Karachi to National Maritime Border, Gujarat filled with 232 kgs of heroin worth Rs 6.93 crore kept in 232 packets, before being intercepted by an Indian Coast Guard ship along with eight Pakistani nationals.
A officer who was then the Commanding Officer and Captain of Coast Guard ship “Sangram” and part of the operations, chronicled the sequence of events leading up to the discovery of “Al Yasir” and identified the drums, the drugs and the 8 accused present in the special NDPS court. “The accused before the court are the same person who were found on the PakistanShip Al-yasir apprehended by us,” the officer said before the special NDPS court in 2022.
The bulky drums and contraband could not be hauled up to the 1st floor court room. The officer, the judge, staff, public prosecutor and defence lawyer, had to make their way to the tempt parked in the court’s premises for the identification procedure. “I identify blue coloured drums as same drums which were sealed by me. There will be total of 232 packets of contraband,” the officer had said.
Earlier in the hearing, sitting in the witness box and dressed in his white uniform, the officer said that the boat-Al Yasir-could not be brought as it is kept at Porbunder and it was not “sea worthy”.
Responding to questions posed by special public prosecutor Sumesh Panjwani, the officer had said that on April 16, 2015, “Sangram” sailed with the officers and sailors from Mumbai for the International Maritime Boundary line patrol. “Since April 18, 2015 we started receiving messages about a suspicious activity in nature of infiltration or any contraband arriving from our neighbour state. We started searching for suspicious activity….”
He further recalled that on April 27, 2015, a small boat was detected on the radar and it looked suspicious. The officer said that the boat was proceeding towards India. With the break of day light, the officer and others boarded the boat, where the 8 accused identified themselves as Pakistani fisherman on a fishing trip. “There was no fish catch on board. This made us suspicious,” the officer said.
The officer further said that the 11 drums were found during the boat’s search. Suspicious substance found in the drums was later found to be heroin, he submitted. “I ordered shifting the six Pakistani crew on my ship. We had to take that boat to the Porbundar Port..” the officer said. Two accused remained on the boat identified as “Al Yasir” along with the officers. “The boat was brought to Porbunder under escort…,” the officer said. He added that the contraband, accused, satellite communications sets and GPS alongwith the electronic navigation chart system were first handed over to the police in Gujarat. The officer further said that later on April 26, 2015, the accused and drugs were brought to Mumbai and the officers of Yellow Gate police station took their custody.
The officer also identified the equipment and the Pakistani currency allegedly seized from the accused.
