A special court in Mumbai on Wednesday sentenced eight Pakistani prisoners who were caught with 232 kg of heroin in a fishing boat off the Gujarat coast to 20 years in prison in 2015.
The convicts were identified as Alibaksha Khashkeli Sindhi, Maksud Akhtar Yusuf Masim, Mohammad Baksh Natho, Mohammad Ahamad Mohammad Inayat, Mohammad Yusuf Abdulla Gagawani, Mohammad Yunus Haji Mohammad Sumar Sindhi, Mohammad Gulhasan Gulhasan Moulabaksh Moulabaksh Sindhi and Sindhi. Sindhi.
Since the men have already been in prison for about ten years, that time will be taken into account and they will now have to spend another ten years in prison.
Special Judge SE Bangar found the men guilty under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The court said that although the men claimed to be fishermen, they did not explain why their boats had packets containing heroin. It also said they were in possession of three satellite phones, which citizens of India or Pakistan are not allowed to use.
According to records, on April 26, 2015, Coast Guard officials were patrolling the National Maritime Border near Gujarat when at around 3.10 am, their radar showed the presence of an unflagged boat. Officials boarded the boat, which did not have a name or number, and found eight workers of Pakistani origin. The men said they were fishermen and had an engine problem while they were fishing.
Officials searched the boat but no fish were found. Instead, there were 11 blue drums with pockets. On reaching Porbandar beach, the packets were checked and found to contain heroin. The merchandise weighed 232 kg – one kilogram per package. The men also have three satellite phones, two GPS navigation charts, mobile phones and an inverter.
After that, the Yellow Gate police in Mumbai lodged an FIR under the NDPS Act and the men were brought to Mumbai and lodged in the city jail.
During the trial, the men sought acquittal on the grounds that the Mumbai police did not have the authority to handle the matter as the seizure took place in international waters. This argument was rejected by the court, saying that the proper procedures were followed according to international agreements.
The court also said that GPS navigation charts were found on the boat which showed that they were going to India.
Special public prosecutor Sumesh Panjwani called for the men to be punished to deter others from smuggling drugs into India. The men, through their lawyer AG Lala, asked for pardon saying that there was no contact with their families while they were incarcerated and that they could be deported when their sentences are over.
A detailed court order is yet to be made available.
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