Indian police are set to request information from Elon Musk's Starlink, as reported on Tuesday, aiming to track down drug smugglers who utilized the satellite internet system to navigate through deep seas and introduce methamphetamine, valued at $4.25 billion, into Indian waters for the first time.
In their largest seizure of its kind, police in the remote Andaman and Nicobar islands discovered over 6,000 kg of methamphetamine last week on a boat from Myanmar, carrying suspected contraband, and arrested six Myanmar nationals. However, this incident has raised concerns as it marks the first time a Starlink device has been used to navigate and reach Indian waters, according to Hargobinder S. Dhaliwal, a senior police officer in the Andaman islands overseeing the case.
Starlink, which claims to provide coverage in international waters, has plans to launch in India but notes that its service in territorial waters depends on government approval. Dhaliwal emphasized that this case is unique as it bypasses all legal channels, with the smugglers directly operating phones via satellite to create a Wi-Fi hotspot.
He plans to seek from Starlink details such as the identity of the device purchaser, the purchase date, and its usage history. Dhaliwal stated that the smugglers had been using Starlink from the start of their journey from Myanmar. Starlink has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Andaman and Nicobar police estimate the seized methamphetamine has a retail market value of 360 billion rupees ($4.25 billion). This inquiry comes as Starlink moves closer to launching in India after months of lobbying for satellite spectrum, despite opposition from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani who urged spectrum auctions.
Dhaliwal noted that 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 are investigating potential involvement of local or foreign syndicates in the network as they address the latest seizure from multiple angles.
In 2023, methamphetamine seizures reached a record high of 190 tonnes in East and Southeast Asia, with maritime meth trafficking on the rise, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. India is emerging as a significant transit and destination market for methamphetamine from Myanmar, as highlighted in the UNODC's recent report.
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