Indian authorities have demanded that Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, provide information on a device allegedly used by drug smugglers to navigate and coordinate a massive methamphetamine operation worth $4.25 billion. The incident marks the first time Starlink technology has been linked to illegal activities within Indian waters, raising concerns about its potential misuse.
Police in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reportedly issued a court demand on Starlink to uncover who purchased the internet equipment that assisted in navigating a boat smuggling 6000kg of methamphetamine worth ₹360 billion ($4.2 billion) from Myanmar to the Indian territory.
According to the reports, the authorities inquired about the payment method, registration information, and where the internet was used during the trip.
The incident happened in November of this year and resulted in the seizure of the boat, as well as the arrest of six Myanmar nationals.
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Starlink, which claims to provide coverage in international waterways, hopes to debut in India but says its coverage in territorial waters is subject to government approval.
According to reports by the police, The vessel attempted to pass as a regular fishing trawler, but raised suspicion when an airplane on routine patrol discovered it near the aptly called Barren Island, an uninhabited scuba diving hotspot and home to India’s only active volcano.
Andaman officials recovered satellite communication equipment and navigation data, indicating the vessel’s visits to other islands in the archipelago. The authorities also discovered coordinates for a place south of Indian territory in Sumatra, Indonesia, as well as mobile phone photos of what appeared to be drugs.
The chemicals discovered on the yacht were examined and determined to be methamphetamine.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that methamphetamine, or “meth,” seizures in East and Southeast Asia hit a record high of 190 tons in 2023 due to an increase in meth trafficking via marine channels in recent years.
The incident raises concerns about the potential misuse of Starlink technology for illegal activities.
