Security agencies and police have recovered several consignments of suspected charas from coastal areas of Gujarat’s Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts over the past few days, prompting intensified surveillance along the State’s sensitive maritime border.

Officials said personnel of the 176 Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered ten packets of the contraband during a patrol operation in the creek region of Kutch on Wednesday (May 6, 2026). The area lies close to the India–Pakistan maritime boundary and remains under constant monitoring due to smuggling concerns.

According to officials, more than 40 packets suspected to contain narcotic substances have been seized from Kutch’s coastal belt within the last week alone. Security agencies believe the consignments may have been abandoned in the sea or along the coastline by smugglers attempting to evade interception.

In a separate incident, police recovered around 4 kg of charas from the coastal area near Kalyanpur in Devbhumi Dwarka district on Wednesday (May 6, 2026). The seized contraband is estimated to be worth nearly ₹2.3 crore in the illegal market.

Following the recovery, an FIR was registered at Kalyanpur police station under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Officials suspect the packets were dumped by traffickers after security patrols intensified in the region. Investigations are underway to trace the origin of the consignments and identify those involved in the smuggling network.

Charas, a banned cannabis resin product, is prohibited under Indian anti-narcotics laws. Authorities said coastal surveillance and joint operations by border and marine agencies have been strengthened in view of recent recoveries.

(with PTI inputs)

eom/ABH