Aljazeera Photo: Pakistan’s naval commandos take part in a multinational exercise AMAN-25 in the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi

Source: Aljazeera

DST News: The Pakistani navy, working under the Saudi-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), has intercepted two vessels in the Arabian Sea and confiscated narcotics valued at almost $1 billion, officials said on Wednesday.

According to a CMF statement, the Pakistani navy conducted two separate raids within 48 hours last week, seizing drugs worth more than $972 million in total.

In the first operation, carried out on October 18, officers boarded a dhow and discovered over two tonnes of crystal methamphetamine—known as ICE—estimated to be worth $822.4 million. Less than two days later, a second dhow was intercepted, yielding 350 kilograms of ICE valued at $140 million and 50 kilograms of cocaine worth another $10 million.

The CMF said the intercepted vessels were found to be “stateless,” offering no indication of their country of origin.

The operation was carried out in coordination with the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150, which emphasized that the success underscored the value of international maritime cooperation.

Saudi Arabian Navy Commodore Fahad Aljoiad, who leads the CMF task force, described the seizures as “one of the most successful narcotics interdictions” in the organization’s history.