In a ground-breaking discovery near the remote Andaman-Nicobar islands police found drugs worth $4.25 billion on a boat from Myanmar (which had six people on the vessel)
The case got extra attention because smugglers used a Starlink-Mini device - a back-pack sized gadget that makes wifi hotspots at sea; this is the first time such tech was used to reach Indian territory
Hargobinder S. Dhaliwal who leads the investigation told about plans to contact Starlink for info about the device: its purchase history usage data and owner details. The company which wants to start business in India hasnt responded to questions yet
The seizure comes at an interesting time when Mukesh Ambani opposes Starlinks entry into Indian market - the tech firm still needs government ok to work in local waters. Meanwhile police check if any crime groups helped with this high-tech smuggling operation
- 6‚000+ kg of meth found on boat
- Device used for navigation in deep waters
- Six Myanmar people taken into custody
- Estimated street value: $4.25 billion
UN drug office data shows meth movement by sea is getting bigger - with about 190 tons caught in east/southeast Asia just last year. Indiaʼs becoming both a way-point and market for Myanmar-made meth according to their 2024 report