Coast Guard Busts International Oil Smuggling Racket

The vessels were allegedly involved in smuggling large quantities of cheap oil and oil-based cargo sourced from conflict-affected regions and transferring it mid-sea to motor tankers in international waters to evade duties.

According to the Coast Guard, the syndicate operated through a network of handlers based in multiple countries, coordinating sales and transfers between sea-going vessels.

The three vessels were intercepted by Coast Guard ships on February 5. Officials said sustained rummaging, verification of documents, analysis of electronic data on board and interrogation of crew helped establish the modus operandi and sequence of events.

The operation was initiated after Coast Guard technology-enabled systems detected a motor tanker carrying out suspicious activity within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, triggering a digital investigation. Subsequent data pattern analysis identified two additional vessels closing in on the tanker, suspected of involvement in illicit oil transfers at sea.

Specialist boarding teams later boarded the vessels and confirmed the digital evidence, leading to their apprehension. Officials said the vessels had frequently changed identities to evade detection by coastal State authorities and that the owners were based overseas, as per preliminary findings.

The vessels are expected to be escorted to Mumbai and handed over to Indian Customs and other law enforcement agencies for further investigation.

“The operation, initiated through digital surveillance and enforced through the ever-expanding maritime presence of the Indian Coast Guard, once again establishes India as a net provider of maritime safety and enforcer of the international rules based order,” the Coast Guard said.