Indian authorities have seized three oil tankers suspected of being involved in the movement of sanctioned Iranian oil following a high-seas interception that exposed tracking blackouts and covert fuel transfers within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The operation, led by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), focused on the Mali-flagged MT Asphalt Star, which was intercepted about 100 nautical miles off Mumbai on February 5. Officials said the tanker had switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), VHF radio and other tracking equipment for nearly 11 hours on January 28 while operating inside Pakistan’s EEZ, where it had remained for over a week, according to a report inNDTV.

Mid-Sea Interception Unravels Suspected Iranian Oil Smuggling Link

Maritime agencies consider such deliberate going “dark" tactics a common method used to obscure a vessel’s movements. Surveillance teams later spotted the tanker in a stationary position in the Arabian Sea. When hailed, it reportedly provided inconsistent details about its name and destination. A boarding operation revealed that the ship was transmitting false voyage information and possessed only a temporary registration issued in Mali, along with no valid Protection and Indemnity insurance.

Investigators believe the MT Asphalt Star coordinated with two related vessels — MT Al Jafzia and MT Stellar Ruby — to conduct unauthorised ship-to-ship fuel transfers within Indian waters. Authorities allege that tens of tonnes of heavy fuel oil and thousands of tonnes of bitumen were moved using forged paperwork and AIS manipulation to conceal identities.

The inquiry also points to earlier attempts by the vessels to access Indian ports using falsified insurance and registration documents. Digital evidence recovered from the master’s mobile phone reportedly includes communication with overseas contacts.

An FIR filed in Mumbai names nine individuals, including crew members and company representatives, on charges ranging from smuggling and forgery to violations of maritime and petroleum laws. The accused include Shyam Bahadur Chouhan, Navjyot Chalotra, Gopal Das, Ravi Kumar, Gyna Chandra Gupta, Munwar Khalphe, Shivkumar Sharma, Nasaruddin Mandal, and Jogender Singh Brar. The vessels remain anchored off Mumbai as investigations continue.

Source: World News in news18.com, World Latest News, World News