Gujarat ATS finds AirTags, GPS trackers in 119 kg cocaine haul near Mundra; international network suspected

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has uncovered fresh evidence suggesting the involvement of a highly organised transnational narcotics network in the smuggling of nearly 119 kilograms of cocaine seized off the Mundra coast in Kutch district last month.

Officials said that during the sampling and seizure process conducted under Section of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the presence of a Judicial Magistrate, investigators discovered four Apple AirTags and two Garmin GPS tracking devices concealed inside the brick-shaped packets of cocaine.

The tracking devices were hidden within the consignment and were allegedly being used by the suppliers to monitor the movement of the narcotics shipment from its point of origin to its intended destination. Investigators believe the devices could provide crucial digital evidence regarding the route followed by the consignment, the locations where it was handled and the individuals involved in the trafficking chain.

The latest development comes in the wake of a major joint operation carried out by the Gujarat ATS and the Indian Coast Guard on May 26, during which 118.977 kilograms of cocaine was recovered from five floating bags in the Arabian Sea near Mundra.

According to ATS officials, intelligence inputs had indicated that two crew members aboard the cargo vessel Europe had concealed approximately 150 kilograms of cocaine and were planning to transfer the consignment to a fishing vessel off the Gujarat coast. The narcotics were allegedly destined for two foreign nationals based in Delhi.

Acting on the information, ATS officers coordinated with the Indian Coast Guard and launched a surveillance operation in the outer anchorage area near Mundra Port. As Coast Guard personnel approached the vessel, two suspects allegedly threw multiple bags containing the contraband into the sea in an attempt to destroy evidence.

The joint team recovered five floating bags containing 115 packets of cocaine. Preliminary field testing confirmed the substance to be cocaine, after which the consignment was seized under the NDPS Act.

Investigators subsequently boarded the vessel and interrogated crew members. During questioning, Tanzanian national Juma Nasir Omar allegedly confessed that he had smuggled the cocaine from Brazil and concealed it inside the ship's motor room in November 2025 without the knowledge of other crew members.

Officials said Omar claimed he was acting on instructions from handlers linked to an international trafficking network and was tasked with delivering the consignment near the Gujarat coastline.

Another Tanzanian crew member, identified as Ngingite Nassoro Jumanne, allegedly jumped into the sea during the operation and remains untraced. Search efforts involving maritime agencies were continuing.

Further searches of the vessel led investigators to recover two Garmin GPSMAP satellite communication and navigation devices from the steering gear compartment, strengthening suspicions that sophisticated tracking technology was being used throughout the smuggling operation.

The ATS has also detained two alleged receivers of the consignment — Nigerian national Kelvin Chukwuma and Ugandan national Byaruhanga James — from Delhi's Dwarka area with assistance from Delhi Police. Officials said both are suspected to have been part of the network responsible for receiving and distributing the narcotics within India.

Investigators believe the cocaine originated in Brazil and was transported through international maritime routes before reaching Indian waters. The discovery of AirTags and GPS devices concealed inside the cocaine bricks is being viewed as a major clue, highlighting how international drug syndicates are increasingly relying on commercially available tracking technology to monitor high-value consignments and minimise the risk of interception.

Officials said forensic examination of the recovered electronic devices is under way. Data retrieved from the trackers could help investigators reconstruct the consignment's journey, identify additional conspirators and uncover links to international drug trafficking organisations.

The seizure is considered one of the most significant cocaine interceptions off the Gujarat coast in recent years and underscores the growing use of maritime routes by organised criminal networks to smuggle narcotics into India. The investigation remains ongoing, with ATS officials expecting further revelations as digital and forensic analysis progresses.