India police seek Starlink help over massive drug haul

Police in India say they have reached out for information to Elon Musk’s Starlink after they allegedly found drug smugglers using its satellite internet device to navigate Indian waters and reach the country’s shore.

Starlink claims to provide superfast broadband “almost anywhere on Earth”.

But it does not yet have permission to provide coverage in India or India’s territorial waters.

Last week, the Indian Coast Guard said they found the device on a Myanmar boat they seized near the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

This was the biggest such drug bust by the Coast Guard, authorities said. They reportedly seized 6,000kg (13,227 lb) of methamphetamine from the boat. Police estimated it was worth $4.25bn (£3.35bn).

Police in the Indian archipelago of Andaman and Nicobar say they have arrested six Myanmar nationals in the case.

Starlink has been aiming to launch services in India since 2021, but regulatory hurdles have delayed its arrival. The company also faces stiff competition from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio.

Hargobinder S Dhaliwal, police chief of the Andaman islands, said last week’s incident put authorities on alert because the use of Starlink’s mini device had bypassed legal channels.

The company’s website describes the device as “a compact, portable kit that can easily fit in a backpack”.

The drug smugglers started using Starlink from the time their journey began from Myanmar, Mr Dhaliwal said in a press statement on Monday.

“They directly operated [phones] with satellite, creating a Wi-Fi hotspot,” he added.

Andaman police say they have since written to Starlink, asking for details of the device, including who bought it, when and how it’s been used since its purchase.

They are also investigating the involvement of any local or foreign syndicates in transporting the drug.

The BBC has contacted Starlink for their response.

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