The Border Security Force (BSF) said the consignment of more than 1,300 packets of charas that have been recovered in last four months originated from a small hamlet near Karachi in Pakistan and drifted into Indian territory. On Wednesday morning, the BSF recovered three packets of charas from Shekharan Pir Bet near Sanghi Cement Jetty. According to the border guarding paramilitary forces, these recent seizures are a “new trend” and have exposed “the vulnerability of Arabian coast in Gujarat.” The contraband seized between May and August this year were found scattered in an area measuring 58 km around Jakhau in Kutch. These recoveries had similar print and packaging. Till now 1,309 packets containing charas, weighing one kilogram each, have been seized by BSF, police, coast guard and the Indian navy. Some packets were also found inside the creeks near Jakhau and had seaweeds on them. According to the BSF, the recovered drug consignments were found packed in plastic sacks that had “Fauzi Fertilisers Corporation, Pakistan (FFC) 46 Urea, Sona Brand” printed on them. Officials stated that these consignments were not “headed for India,” and were dumped into the sea by smugglers fleeing the Pakistani security services. BSF said there was a “strong possibility” that the dumped packets of drugs drifted towards the Jakhau coast. “Photographs of charas seized by Pakistani agencies and Indian security agencies reveal similar printing and packaging which indicate that the packets seized along Jakhau coast are part of drug consignment thrown in the sea by Pakistani smugglers during raid off Karachi coast. However, due to huge trade of narcotics through Arabian Sea by Pakistani smugglers, possibility of exploitation of Gujarat coast cannot be ruled out,” stated the statement from the BSF.
