Indian Coast Guard busts international oil smuggling racket off Mumbai coast

Mumbai: The Indian Coast Guard busted an international oil smuggling racket after intercepting three suspect vessels during a coordinated sea-air operation off the Mumbai coast on February 5 and 6, 2026.

The operation took place about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai. Coast Guard ships intercepted the vessels following inputs from technology-enabled maritime surveillance systems. Officers conducted detailed searches, verified documents and interrogated crew members to establish the full chain of events.

Investigators found that the vessels carried oil and oil-based cargo linked to an organised smuggling network operating across multiple countries. The Coast Guard said the syndicate moved cheap oil from conflict-affected regions and transferred it mid-sea to motor tankers in international waters.

Officials said the smugglers used ship-to-ship transfers to evade customs duties and maritime monitoring. The operation followed the detection of a motor tanker displaying suspicious movement within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Oil smuggling racket uncovered through digital surveillance

The Coast Guard said digital analysis of vessel movement patterns revealed two additional ships converging on the tanker. Boarding teams later confirmed the illicit transfer through electronic data recovered onboard.

After verifying the digital evidence during physical inspections, the Coast Guard apprehended all three vessels on February 5. Preliminary findings showed that the vessels frequently changed their identities to avoid detection by maritime enforcement agencies.

Investigators also indicated that the owners of the vessels were based in foreign countries. The Coast Guard said it would escort the apprehended ships to Mumbai for further investigation.

Officials added that the vessels would be handed over to Indian Customs and other law enforcement agencies for legal action. The Coast Guard said the operation demonstrated its expanding maritime presence and enforcement capability.

The successful action, the Coast Guard said, reinforced India’s role as a net security provider in the maritime domain. It also highlighted the country’s commitment to upholding international rules-based order at sea.