On March 31, 2025, Indian Navy frontline frigate INS Tarkash, which is part of the Western Naval Command, successfully intercepted and seized a sizable amount of narcotics in the Western Indian Ocean.
The operation was carried out by the Bahrain-based Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) as part of Maritime Security Operations and the multi-national joint operation Anzac Tiger.
The Indian Navy’s P-8I aircraft provided intelligence on suspicious vessels involved in drug trafficking, which led to the interception. By employing MARCOS (Marine Commandos) for boarding operations and its integral helicopter for surveillance, INS Tarkash modified its course to intercept these vessels.
Several sealed drug packets concealed in cargo compartments were found during a comprehensive search of a suspected dhow. To find connections to larger smuggling networks, the dhow and its crew were taken into custody for additional interrogation.
The Indian Navy’s commitment to fighting maritime crime and bolstering regional security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is demonstrated by this operation. The Navy continues to be essential to maintaining stability and collaboration in international waters by taking part in multinational operations such as Anzac Tiger.