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Pakistan's naval commandos take part in a multinational exercise AMAN-25 in the Arabian Sea near the port city of Karachi [File: Asif Hassan/AFP]

In a major anti-smuggling operation, the Pakistan Navy has seized narcotics worth nearly $1 billion from two boats in the Arabian Sea — one of the largest drug hauls ever reported in the region.

The operation was carried out under the Saudi-led Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a multinational naval alliance tasked with tackling crime at sea. In a statement released on Wednesday, the CMF said the Pakistani Navy intercepted two dhows — small traditional vessels — in separate raids within 48 hours last week, confiscating drugs valued at more than $972 million.

According to the CMF, the first dhow was stopped on October 18, when naval officers found over two tonnes of crystal meth (ICE) worth about $822 million. Less than two days later, another dhow was seized carrying 350 kg of ICE worth $140 million and 50 kg of cocaine valued at $10 million.

The origins of the vessels remain unclear, but the CMF noted both were “without nationality”, suggesting they were operating illegally in international waters.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) praised the successful operation on social media, calling it one of the most effective drug seizures ever conducted by the CMF. The raids were led by the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150, which oversees maritime security and anti-smuggling missions across the region.

“This was one of CMF’s most successful narcotics seizures,” said Commodore Fahad Aljoiad of the Saudi Navy, who commands the task force. “It shows the strength of multinational cooperation.”

The CMF, a 47-nation naval partnership, monitors more than 3.2 million square miles (around 829 million hectares) of ocean, including some of the world’s busiest trade routes, to prevent smuggling and piracy.

In a separate statement, the Pakistan Navy said the operation demonstrated its “unwavering commitment to regional maritime security, global peace, and the fight against illicit trafficking at sea.”

The massive bust underscores growing international coordination to curb drug trafficking networks operating through the Arabian Sea — a key route linking South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.