NewzVille Desk
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on busted an international oil smuggling racket on Friday through a complex sea-air network operation. The vessels involved reportedly smuggled large volumes of cheap oil and oil-based cargo from conflict-affected countries, transferring them mid-sea to motor tankers in international waters to evade duties and maximize profits.
The syndicate is believed to be a network of handlers operating from multiple countries, coordinating the sale and transfer of illicit cargo between sea-going vessels.
On February 5, about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai, ICG ships intercepted three vessels. Through sustained inspections, corroboration of onboard electronic data, verification of documents, and crew interrogations, specialist boarding teams established the chain of incidents and the modus operandi of the criminals.
ICG’s technology-enabled systems first detected a motor tanker conducting suspicious activity in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone, prompting a detailed digital investigation.
Further data pattern analysis of surrounding vessels identified two additional ships as potential suspects involved in the illicit transfer of oil-based cargo, evading significant duties owed to coastal states, including India.
On February 5, ICG specialist teams boarded the vessels and confirmed the accuracy of the digital evidence, leading to their apprehension. The vessels are expected to be escorted to Mumbai for further investigation and will be handed over to Indian Customs and law enforcement agencies for further action.
Initial investigations revealed that the vessels frequently changed identities to avoid detection, with ownership traced to foreign countries.
The operation, initiated through digital surveillance and enforced through the Indian Coast Guard’s expanding maritime presence, underscores India’s role as a net provider of maritime security and enforcer of international rules-based order.
