Indian Coast Guard seizes three Iranian tankers linked to smuggling in Arabian Sea, under U.S. sanctions, amid ongoing investigations.
On Friday, the Indian Coast Guard conducted a large-scale operation against three oil tankers allegedly involved in establishing a 'smuggling network' and currently under international sanctions in the Arabian Sea. The vessels were stopped approximately 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai, outside Indian territorial waters but within the jurisdiction of the coastal state.
They were detected through surveillance and data analysis.
According to officials, the Coast Guard monitored the movements of the ships for an extended period using advanced surveillance systems and maritime data analysis. A coordinated raid was carried out based on the information obtained.
Teams that boarded the ships at sea conducted a 'long-term search' to collect evidence. The Coast Guard stated that the examination of electronic records and the questioning of the crew revealed significant clues regarding the operational methods of the vessels and a global network of intermediaries.
Tankers on the U.S. sanctions list.
According to TankerTrackers.com data, all of the seized vessels are under U.S. sanctions. The ships were identified as follows:
Al Jafzia (IMO: 9171498) – Flagged in Nicaragua, formerly known as Chiltern. It has been alleged that it previously used the Guyanese flag fraudulently.
Asphalt Star (IMO: 9463528) – Flagged in Mali, previously claimed to have operated under a fraudulent Aruba flag.
Stellar Ruby (IMO: 9555199) – An Iranian-flagged tanker.
Suspicion of Iranian oil route.
AIS (Automatic Identification System) data from Pole Star Global revealed that the vessels followed complex meeting and voyage routes between anchorage areas off Basra and Khor Fakkan and ports along India's west coast. These areas are known points for ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of Iranian oil.
Experts indicate that the AIS fraud commonly used in Iranian oil trade allows vessels to appear as if they are conducting normal commercial voyages while actually facilitating activities that circumvent sanctions.
Allegations of 'secret fleet' connections.
All three tankers are listed under the Iranian sanctions list of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under Executive Order 13902. The vessels are believed to be connected to the sanctioned Indian national captain and shipowner Jugwinder Singh Brar.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Brar is the owner of a network consisting of approximately 30 ships operating within a largely Iranian-linked 'secret fleet.' These ships conceal the true origin of the oil by conducting ship-to-ship transfers to transport Iranian oil from the Middle East to foreign buyers.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, 'The Iranian regime relies on networks of shippers like Brar and his companies to carry out oil sales and finance destabilizing activities. The U.S. has focused on disrupting all elements of Iran's oil exports, particularly those profiting from this trade.'
They are being taken to port.
As of Sunday, AIS data indicated that the three seized tankers were proceeding in convoy towards a port on India's west coast. It was reported that the investigation into the operation is ongoing.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
