Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Inspector General Ajay Kumar Tomar (L) and BSF Deputy Inspector General (DIG), MF Farooqui (R) pose with 20 packets of confiscated heroin recovered near the border of India and Pakistan, at the BSF head quarters in Khasa, some 20 kilometres from Amritsar on Feb 4, 2014. (NARINDER NANU / AFP)

NEW DELHI - India's navy seized a ship carrying about 1,500 kg of heroin worth 35 billion rupees (US$545 million) on Sunday in what it said was its biggest ever drugs haul.

The vessel, which was operating under the name MV Henry under the Panama flag, was intercepted off the Gujarat coast near the city of Porbandar, said S. Paramesh, deputy director general at the Indian Coast Guard.

It was sailing from Dubai to Alang, a town in Gujarat known for shipbreaking, Paramesh said.

The eight crew members aboard, all of whom were identified as Indian nationals, are under investigation.