AHMEDABAD: In a major drug haul, 40 kg heroin worth Rs 200 crore was recovered from a Pakistani fishing boat in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast on Wednesday.

The anti-narcotics operation was conducted jointly Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad in a joint operation with the Indian Coast Guard.

The ATS and the coast guard also arrested six Pakistani crew members of the boat. The fishing boat was intercepted mid-sea near Jakhau harbour in Kutch district, said officials.

According to officials, the drugs were meant for Punjab and were to be taken by road. They were to be off loaded at Gujarat coast first.

"Acting on specific tip- off, the joint team intercepted the fishing boat which left from Pakistan, and caught six Pakistani nationals with 40 kg of heroin," said a PTI report quoting officials.

Officials also suggested that the drugs smuggling boat and joint team are expected to reach Jakhau coast later in the day (Wednesday).

The ATS and Coast Guard officials along with the seized boat are expected to reach the Jakhau coast later in the day, he said.

The Gujarat Coast guard and the ATS had foiled similar bids to smuggle drugs in the past as well. Several foreign nationals and with huge quantities of drugs were caught when they attempted to smuggle drugs into India via the Gujarat coast.

In a similar operation on September 10, Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in a joint operation seized 39.5 kg of heroin from Kolkata. The drugs were worth nearly Rs 200 crore in the international market.

DGP Ashish Bhatia said the ATS team had received a tip-off about a scrap consignment imported in February was lying at the docks of the Kolkata sea port since landing, and carried drugs, reported IANS.