Israeli military says it struck Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon
world1 day ago
Indian police will seek details from Elon Musk's Starlink, they said on Tuesday, in a bid to hunt down drug smugglers who used its satellite internet device to navigate deep seas and bring meth worth $4.25 billion into Indian waters for the first time.
In their biggest such seizure, police in the remote outpost of the Andaman and Nicobar islands uncovered more than 6,000 kg of meth last week in a Myanmar boat carrying sacks of suspected contraband, and detained six Myanmar nationals.
But the incident has set off alarm bells as it is the first time Starlink's device has been used to navigate and reach Indian waters, Hargobinder S. Dhaliwal, a top police officer in the Andaman islands who is handling the case, told Reuters.
Starlink, which says it provides coverage in international waters, has plans to launch in India, but says its coverage in territorial waters is contingent on government approval.
"This (case) is different because it is bypassing all the legal channels," Dhaliwal added. "They directly operated (phones) with satellite, creating a Wi-Fi hotspot."
He said he planned to seek from Starlink details such as who bought the device and when, as well as its usage history.
"They (smugglers) were using Starlink since their journey started from Myanmar," he said.
Starlink did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Andaman and Nicobar police estimated the seized meth had a retail market value of 360 billion rupees ($4.25 billion).
Their inquiry comes as Starlink inches closer to a launch in India after lobbying for months to secure satellite spectrum, following a face-off with Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani who repeatedly opposed the move and urged spectrum auctions.
Dhaliwal said the smugglers used the Starlink Mini device, described on its website as "a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack".
Police in the Andaman and Nicobar islands have said they are checking the involvement of any local or foreign syndicates in the whole network as they tackle the latest seizure case from various angles.
In 2023, seizures of methamphetamine, or meth, as it is known, reached a record high of 190 tonnes in east and southeast Asia, as meth trafficking on maritime routes has increased in recent years, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says.
India is a growing transit and destination market for methamphetamine from Myanmar, the UNODC said in its report this year.
Israeli military says it struck Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of launchers, and terrorist infrastructure throughout Lebanon
world1 day ago
Civil Emergency Service says its operations in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun have been hit by fuel shortages
world1 day ago
It will have authority on matters related to the economy, education, health, humanitarian aid and reconstruction
world1 day ago
Study indicates the planet has never had habitable conditions; atmospheric composition signals substantially dry interior
world1 day ago
A proposed formula suggests India and Pakistan play their ICC matches in Dubai
world2 days ago
Gregg Wallace has denied making 'inappropriate' sexual jokes and comments after more than a dozen people came forward last week with allegations spanning a 17-year period
world2 days ago
Russia's military confirmed it was helping Syrian government forces repel terrorist aggression in the provinces of Idlib, Hama and Aleppo
world2 days ago
Gaza now has the highest number of children amputees per capita anywhere in the world, says Guterres
world2 days ago