6 crew members of Myanmarese vessel held, banned drug seized

Six crew members of a Myanmar- origin ship were on Monday arrested and their vessel detained off Andamans coast, following the seizure of at least 370 kg of contraband drug from their possession, a senior officer of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Kolkata, said.

The drug, suspected to be nervous-system depressant Methaqualone, has been sent to lab for tests, he said, adding that its market value could run into several hundred crores.

The Indian Coast Guard, Port Blair, on Saturday detained the six crew members - identified as Aung Aung, Htay Naing, Win Naing, Sai De zin Htoo, NG Myo and Than Mway - after they were found possessing the sedative-hypnotic drug.

"Following a joint grilling by sleuths of the NCB Kolkata unit and the ICG, IB and state police, the six were arrested on Monday morning. The grilling process is still on.

"We are trying to find out their place of origin and destination. A Burmese interpreter has been brought in for the questioning," the NCB sleuth told PTI.

The Myanmarese boat was booked for violation of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, he said.

In India, manufacture, possession and transportation of methaqualone is an offence under the Act.