The modus operandi is disturbingly sophisticated. According to sources, international cartels frequently jettison high-value drug consignments into the sea when approached by Indian surveillance aircraft or patrol vessels. These waterproof, buoyant packages often wash up on Nicobar and southern Andaman beaches, where they are retrieved by local peddling networks.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu will lead a high-level meeting on air safety in New Delhi following the Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad that killed over 240 people. Top officials from DGCA, AAI, and other agencies will review safety protocols and discuss preventive measures.