Baku: 510 kg of drugs were prevented from being smuggled from Iran to Azerbaijan via the Caspian Sea. On September 27, a collaborative effort between the Coast Guard’s coastal control units and technical observation points led to the detection of an unidentified target in the Caspian Sea, as reported by the Press Center of the State Border Service to APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the operation to intercept the target involved border vessels patrolling the state border and urgent measures by coastal control units to secure the coastline. The operational-military measures executed within the territorial waters and coastal regions of Azerbaijan included warning shots, as per the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On the State Border.” This compelled the vessel to redirect to the shore in the Khachmaz region.
Initial interrogations revealed that the individuals detained aboard were Iranian citizens: Atajani Tahir Khaled (born in 1979), Makhtumi Sadiq Arazgurban (born in 1987), and Gangerme Omid Chalje (born in 1989). Examination of a ‘Garmin’ GPS device found with the suspects showed they had traveled 1074 km from Iran, passing through Turkmenistan’s territorial waters before entering Azerbaijan.
Search operations along the route of the detained ‘Liner’ type vessel and at the location uncovered and seized a total of 509 kg 800 grams of narcotics. Further operational measures led to the arrest of four Azerbaijani citizens suspected of involvement, found at the scene in a ‘Niva’ vehicle.
Investigative and operational actions are ongoing in coordination with the Prosecutor General’s Office.