NCB sleuths quiz 11 Iran ‘smugglers’
As many as 11 Iran nationals have been secured mid-sea and brought along with their fishing boat to the shores of the city on Saturday. Since the men are suspected drug smugglers, they have been handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau for interrogation.
CHENNAI: Sources said Coast Guard officials intercepted the boat near Indira Point near Andaman and Nicobar Islands two weeks ago as they were found moving in Indian waters.
Inquiries revealed that the 11 men in the boat were Iran nationals. “There is a suspicion that they could be drug smugglers as their boat had signs of drugs having been hidden and that they might have thrown the drug into the sea upon noticing the Coast Guard’s boats,’’ said a source.
The boat was toed to the fishing harbour in Kasimedu on Saturday morning and officials from NCB, Customs and other departments inspected the boat and conducted inquiries with the 11 men.
Since the men detained couldn’t understand English, officials had difficulty interrogating them and the suspects were taken to the NCB’s Chennai office.
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