Indian Coast Guard busts global oil trafficking syndicate, intercepts three ships | Watch

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) announced on Saturday that it has dismantled a global syndicate engaged in the illicit trafficking of crude oil. This syndicate operated via a complex web of multiple handlers located across various international jurisdictions.

The sea-air coordinated operation, concluded on Friday, 6 February, targeted a racket responsible for transporting significant quantities of petroleum and oil-derived cargo from war-torn regions. This cargo was then transferred mid-ocean to motorized tankers in international territory for commercial gain, the Indian Coast Guard said.

The smugglers managed the commercial exchange and transshipment of the goods between various maritime vessels.

As per the ICG, three specific ships were halted and boarded by Coast Guard ships approximately 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai on February 5.

"Three vessels were intercepted by ICG ships, about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai, on February 5, and through sustained rummaging, corroboration of electronic data onboard the suspect vessels and verification of documents and interrogation of crew, the ICG's specialist boarding team established the chain of incidents and the modus operandi of the criminals," the Indian Coast Guard said in a statement.

Following exhaustive searches, document verification, synchronization of digital records found on the vessels, and the questioning of the sailors, ICG tactical boarding units successfully reconstructed the sequence of events and the criminal methodology employed.

The Coast Guard noted that its high-tech monitoring infrastructure first spotted a motor tanker performing questionable maneuvers within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, triggering a comprehensive digital forensic probe.

Subsequent analysis of traffic patterns involving vessels nearing the tanker identified two more suspicious ships participating in the unauthorized mid-sea offloading of oil cargo, a tactic used to bypass heavy customs duties required by maritime nations, including India.

"The ICG undertook data pattern analysis of other vessels closing in on the vessel, and identified two other vessels as possible suspects, involved in illicit transfer of oil-based cargo at sea, evading significant duties owed to the coastal states, including India," the statement said.

On February 5, specialized ICG units boarded the vessels and confirmed the electronic evidence, resulting in their seizure. Initial inquiries indicated that the ships regularly altered their names and markings to bypass the maritime authorities of various countries. The registered owners of the ships are purportedly located overseas.

The ships are expected to be towed to Mumbai for continued interrogation and transferred to Indian Customs and relevant police departments for formal judicial processing.

The Indian Coast Guard remarked that the mission, which began with electronic tracking and was executed through its growing naval reach, reinforces India's status as a primary contributor to maritime security and a protector of international regulatory standards.