A major drug shipment shipped to the Maldives from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, has been seized by Indian authorities.
According to reports, the 30-kilogram consignment of drugs were disguised as snacks. According to Indian newspaper reports, the drugs, identified as hashish oil, has an estimated street value of USD 3.8 million. The drugs were being transported on a tug boat named Shwe Lin Yone.
The operation was conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) following a tip-off from India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). The ship was intercepted and searched in the Gulf of Mannar between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka early Wednesday night during a 40-hour operation.
The nine crew members on board, along with the vessel, have now been taken to Tuticorin for further investigation.
