Pakistan Navy Seizes Over 2,800kg of Drugs Worth $750 Million in Arabian Sea
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: The Pakistan Navy has carried out a major anti-narcotics operation in the Arabian Sea, seizing more than 2,800 kilograms of drugs from a suspicious fishing vessel, with the confiscated narcotics reportedly valued at approximately $750 million in the international market.
According to information reported by Express News, the operation was conducted by PNS Hunain and PNS Yarmook while the two Pakistan Navy ships were carrying out maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea.
The naval vessels intercepted a suspicious fishing boat and subsequently recovered more than 2.8 tonnes of narcotics during the operation.
The reported scale of the seizure makes it a significant maritime interdiction, although the $750 million valuation should at this stage be attributed to the Pakistan Navy’s assessment, as independently verified details on the type, quantity breakdown and market valuation of the drugs were not available in the sources reviewed.
PNS Hunain and PNS Yarmook Led Operation
The operation involved two important vessels in Pakistan’s naval fleet.
Express reported that PNS Hunain and PNS Yarmook were engaged in routine maritime security duties when they conducted the anti-narcotics operation against the suspected fishing vessel.
More than 2,800kg of drugs were recovered during the interception.
Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf praised the crews of both ships following the successful operation, according to the report.
The Navy said it remained prepared to counter illegal activities at sea and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding Pakistan’s maritime interests and contributing to international maritime security.
$750 Million Valuation Needs Attribution
The headline figure attached to the seizure is substantial.
Express reports the international-market value of the narcotics at approximately $750 million.
However, the available report does not specify the composition of the seized consignment — such as how much consisted of hashish, methamphetamine, heroin or other narcotics — or explain the methodology used to calculate the $750 million international-market valuation.
For editorial accuracy, the valuation should therefore be described as “approximately $750 million, according to the Pakistan Navy” rather than treated as an independently established market value.
The reported physical quantity of more than 2,800kg should likewise remain attributed until an official detailed inventory or independent confirmation becomes available.
Pakistan Intensifies Maritime Anti-Smuggling Operations
The operation comes only days after the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Coast Guards carried out another major intelligence-based interdiction in Pishukan, Balochistan.
On September 23, the Navy and Coast Guards, working with the Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre, seized a large quantity of liquor and illegal medicines after receiving actionable intelligence about a smuggling attempt.
The seized goods in that operation were transferred to the Pakistan Coast Guards for legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif subsequently praised the personnel involved and said coordination between state institutions was important in combating smuggling.
Arabian Sea a Key Counter-Narcotics Arena
Pakistan’s maritime agencies have previously intercepted significant drug shipments along the country’s Arabian Sea coastline.
The Federal Board of Revenue records, for example, show that Pakistan Customs and the Navy conducted a joint operation off Pasni in March 2022, recovering about 3,000kg of hashish. Authorities at the time estimated that consignment at Rs750 million.
More recently, Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force disrupted an international methamphetamine trafficking network after an operation at Karachi Port led to the recovery of around 200kg of methamphetamine, according to a September Foreign Ministry briefing. Pakistani intelligence was subsequently shared with international partners and contributed to a further seizure in Sri Lanka.
These cases illustrate the role of Pakistan’s ports, coastline and maritime agencies in efforts to disrupt trafficking routes connecting South and West Asia with international markets.
Further Operational Details Awaited
Several important details concerning Saturday’s operation remain unavailable in the initial reporting.
The report does not identify the nationality or registration of the intercepted fishing vessel, its point of origin or intended destination, the number of people aboard, whether arrests were made, or the precise types of narcotics recovered.
No detailed breakdown of the seized drugs or information about subsequent legal proceedings was included.
Those details will be important for establishing whether the shipment was linked to a wider international trafficking organisation and where the narcotics were ultimately intended to be delivered.
The verified development at present is that Pakistan Navy says PNS Hunain and PNS Yarmook intercepted a suspicious fishing vessel in the Arabian Sea and recovered more than 2,800kg of narcotics valued by authorities at approximately $750 million
