19 Convicted, Awarded 20-Year Jail Terms in Gujarat's ₹575 Crore Heroin Smuggling Case

A special NDPS court in Bhuj, Gujarat , on Wednesday sentenced 19 convicts 18 Pakistani nationals and one Afghan citizen to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with three major heroin smuggling cases involving narcotics worth an estimated ₹575 crore . The court also imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on each convict .

The convictions stem from three cases registered by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) between 2020 and 2022 , in which heroin was allegedly smuggled from Pakistan through the Arabian Sea and brought ashore near Jakhau in Kutch district . The ATS conducted the operations in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

Additional Sessions and Special NDPS Court Judge V.A. Buddha found the accused guilty under Section 8(c) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act , which prohibits the production, possession, transport, sale and related activities involving narcotic drugs. The court observed that the accused were part of a well-planned conspiracy to supply large quantities of narcotics, noting that drug trafficking not only endangers public health but also poses a threat to the country's internal security .

The three cases involved the seizure of 115 kg of heroin . In the first operation on January 6, 2020 , authorities intercepted a Pakistani boat carrying 35 kg of heroin worth ₹175 crore and arrested five Pakistani nationals. One of the accused died during the trial. In the second case on April 15, 2021 , eight Pakistani nationals were apprehended with 30 kg of heroin valued at ₹150 crore . The third interception on October 8, 2022 , led to the arrest of six Pakistani nationals and one Afghan citizen, with 50 kg of heroin worth ₹250 crore recovered.

The three cases were clubbed for trial, resulting in the conviction of all 19 surviving accused .

The verdict marks a significant milestone in India's anti-smuggling and anti-narcotics enforcement efforts, highlighting the coordinated role of the Gujarat ATS and the Indian Coast Guard in disrupting cross-border maritime drug trafficking networks and reinforcing the country's crackdown on organised narcotics smuggling.