India seizes three “shadow fleet” vessels

The Indian Coast Guard has seized three “shadow fleet” vessels on suspicion of being involved in oil smuggling.

India has busted an international oil smuggling ring in a planned air-sea operation, the country’s Coast Guard повідомляє said.

The syndicate was transporting cheap oil from conflict-affected regions in international waters. The carriers were avoiding paying duties to coastal states.

The Indian Coast Guard intercepted three suspicious vessels about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai. An extensive search, electronic verification of data and interrogation of the crews revealed the modus operandi and the global network of operators. The vessels, known to frequently change their identification details, were escorted to Mumbai for further legal action.

USM previously reported that the UK was preparing to seize Russian-linked “shadow fleet” tankers.