Coast Guard apprehends boat smuggling diesel

New Delhi, April 17

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has apprehended an Indian fishing boat fishing reported to be involved in diesel smuggling and carrying unauthorised cash.

The boat was apprehended 150 km north west off Mumbai.

The ICG acted on a tip-off from the Customs and an area of 200 square miles, including offshore oil areas off the Maharashtra coast, was scanned.

The suspected boat was located on April 15 night. Preliminary investigation revealed that the boat, with five crew, departed the Mandwa port, Gujarat, on April 14 to effect rendezvous with suspected Indian offshore supply vessels (OSV) to smuggle diesel.

It was found that the boat was operating with modified holds to store fuel up to 20,000 litres. Correlation with available data on the suspect boat indicated multiple discrepancies in registration. The operation also revealed that carriage cost of Rs 11.46 lakh was meant to be given to some Indian OSV operating from offshore areas in return of the smuggled diesel.