New Delhi [India], January 24 : Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Station Frazerganj successfully conducted an operation on January 22, leading to the apprehension of an Indian Fishing Boat (IFB), Laxminarayan, for smuggling betel nuts from Bangladesh to India, the Indian Coast Guard said in a press release.
On receipt of intelligence inputs, an ICG boarding team was immediately deployed to the reported position, where the abandoned fishing boat was located and confiscated. The boarding party carried out a thorough rummaging of the vessel and recovered 52 bags of betel nuts, each weighing 50 kg, amounting to a total seizure of 2,600 kg.
The apprehended IFB Laxminarayan was subsequently escorted to Frazerganj and berthed at Benfish Fishing Jetty. The boat, along with the seized contraband, has been handed over to the Coastal Police Station, Frazerganj, for further legal proceedings.
The Indian Coast Guard, in close coordination with other maritime security agencies, maintains a high state of alert along the coastline and in maritime areas to prevent illegal activities and smuggling by Anti-National Elements (ANEs).
The ICG remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the nation's security and economic interests.