Gujarat: Seven suspected Pak smugglers booked under Foreigners Act

Since they had entered the Indian waters illegally, they were booked under the Foreigners Act, said the release, adding that further investigation was on.

The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Friday booked seven Pakistani nationals, who were apprehended off the state's coast a few days ago while trying to smuggle contraband into the country, under the provisions of the Foreigners Act.

The Pakistani boat 'Al Noman' with seven crew members was apprehended by a joint team of ATS and Indian Coast Guard on the intervening night of May 30 and 31, said an ATS release here. ICG ship Arinjay intercepted the boat after it entered the Indian waters, but no contraband was found on board, it said.

The crew members were taken to Okha harbour and then to the ATS headquarters here for further probe.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the boat had been rented out to Pakistan-based drug smugglers Shahab and Rahid by its owner Mohammad Wasim. As directed by Shahab, Rahid loaded two plastic bags in the boat at Pishukan port in Balochistan province, and asked the crew to deliver it to another boat on the Indian side of the Arabian sea, said the release.

Rahid had told the crew that the bags contained contraband and had offered to pay Rs 50,000 to each sailor and Rs 2 lakh to the captain of the boat to make the delivery.

As directed by Rahid, the crew started contacting the crew of the delivery boat on VHF frequency after entering the Indian waters. But when they spotted the ICG ship approaching, they dumped the bags into the sea to save themselves, said the release. Since they had entered the Indian waters illegally, they were booked under the Foreigners Act, said the release, adding that further investigation was on.