Mumbai:  Two soldiers who retired from the British Army have been detained along with six other crew members of a Danish ship that was intercepted for security reasons by the Indian Coast Guard.

Intelligence agencies on Sunday had warned the Coast Guard that there were two men who were on board the Danica Sunrise - a merchant vessel - with weapons that they intended to offload near the Mumbai coast. A ship from the maritime forces was deputed to search the Sunrise.

The crew - during interrogation - has reportedly admitted that they were carrying a stash of AK47s that they dumped in the water when they realised they were on the radar of the Indian Coast Guard. The guns, they say, were meant as protection against pirates.

A team of commandos is trying to locate the missing weapons. 

After 26/11, when armed terrorists sailed into Mumbai, intelligence and security agencies are trying to leave little room for error as they monitor the coast near Mumbai.