Mumbai: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Saturday said it has successfully uncovered an international oil smuggling racket after intercepting a group of vessels around 100 nautical miles west of the Mumbai coast during a coordinated mid-sea operation.
According to the ICG, the intercepted vessels were part of a sophisticated network involved in illegally transporting large quantities of low-cost oil and oil-based cargo from conflict-affected regions. The smugglers allegedly profited by transferring the cargo mid-sea to motor tankers operating in international waters, thereby evading duties and regulatory scrutiny.
The operation, carried out on February 5, was triggered by digital surveillance inputs that flagged suspicious movements of a motor tanker within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Following this, Coast Guard units conducted data pattern analysis and identified two additional vessels suspected to be involved in illicit ship-to-ship transfers.
ICG ships intercepted all three vessels and deployed specialist boarding teams to conduct detailed inspections. Through sustained rummaging, examination of onboard electronic data, verification of documents and interrogation of crew members, officials were able to establish the modus operandi and the chain of events linked to the smuggling activity.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the vessels frequently changed their identities to avoid detection by maritime enforcement agencies. The Coast Guard also found that the owners of the vessels are based in foreign countries, while the smuggling operation was coordinated by a network of handlers operating across multiple nations.
The ICG described the action as a “daring mid-sea operation” made possible by tech-enabled surveillance systems and an expanded maritime presence. It said the operation reinforces India’s role as a key provider of maritime security and an enforcer of international rules at sea.
The apprehended vessels are likely to be escorted to Mumbai and handed over to Indian Customs and other law enforcement agencies for further investigation and legal action.
