Indian Coast Guard busts international Oil-Smuggling Racket Off Mumbai, Seizes Three Vessels

The Indian Coast Guard has uncovered and dismantled a large international oil-smuggling network following a coordinated sea and air operation carried out between February 5 and 6, 2026, officials said. The operation led to the interception of three vessels around 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Authorities said the syndicate was involved in illegally transferring oil cargo at sea, sourcing cheap fuel from conflict-affected regions and using mid-sea ship-to-ship transfers to conceal the origin of the cargo and avoid customs duties and maritime regulations. The suspicious activity was detected through advanced technology-driven surveillance systems that flagged abnormal vessel movements and convergence patterns at sea.

Based on these inputs, Coast Guard ships and aircraft were immediately deployed. Specialist boarding teams carried out detailed inspections of the vessels, recovering electronic data, verifying ship documents and questioning crew members. Officials said this helped reconstruct the entire smuggling chain and confirmed the involvement of handlers operating across multiple countries.

Investigators found that the vessels frequently altered their names, flags and digital identities to evade detection by maritime enforcement agencies. The ownership of the ships is also suspected to be linked to foreign entities, giving the case an international dimension.

After confirming both digital and physical evidence, all three vessels were apprehended and are being escorted to Mumbai. They will be handed over to Indian Customs and other law enforcement agencies for further investigation and legal action.

Officials described the operation as a major success against transnational maritime crime, highlighting the Coast Guard’s growing ability to use technology, intelligence and sustained maritime presence to counter complex threats at sea, while reinforcing India’s role in maintaining security and a rules-based order in the Indian Ocean region.