Indian Coast Guard Seizes Fishing Boat for Suspected Betel Nut Smuggling
24 Jan 2026 7:43 PM IST24 Jan 2026 7:43 PM IST
Indian Coast Guard intensifies anti-smuggling efforts, seizing a fishing boat transporting betel nuts from Bangladesh, reinforcing national security commitment.
In this image received on Jan. 24, 2026, Indian Coast Guard personnel apprehend an abandoned Indian fishing boat suspected of betel nut smuggling in the Bay of Bengal. Around 2,600 kg of betel nuts were seized and the boat was escorted to Frazerganj before being handed over to Coastal Police for further legal action. (@IndiaCoastGuard/X via PTI Photo)
New Delhi: Indian Coast Guard authorities stationed in West Bengal have confiscated an Indian fishing boat for "smuggling betel nuts from Bangladesh," officials said on Saturday.
Based on intelligence inputs, an ICG boarding team was immediately deployed to the reported spot, where the abandoned fishing boat -- 'Laxminarayan' -- was located and confiscated, they said.
"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 Indian Coast Guard said in a statement.
The ICG Station, Fraserganj, "successfully conducted an operation on January 22," leading to the seizure of an Indian fishing boat for "smuggling betel nuts from Bangladesh to India," it said.
The seized boat was subsequently escorted to Fraserganj and berthed at Benfish Fishing Jetty, officials said.
The boat, along with the seized contraband, has been handed over to the Coastal Police Station, Fraserganj, for further legal proceedings, they said.
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, the ICG said.
The ICG remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the nation's security and economic interests, it added.
( Source : PTI )
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