Coast Guard busts international oil smuggling racket near Mumbai
The Indian Coast Guard just pulled off a major win by stopping an international oil smuggling syndicate off the coast of Mumbai on February 5, 2026.
Three ships were caught trying to move cheap oil from conflict zones, using sneaky sea routes about 100 nautical miles from Mumbai.
Smugglers tried to dodge customs by secretly transferring oil
Smugglers tried to dodge customs by secretly transferring oil between ships in the middle of the sea, often switching vessel identities and working with handlers from different countries.
But thanks to some sharp tech surveillance, the Coast Guard spotted unusual tanker movement in India's waters.
After digging into digital data and boarding the ships for checks, teams confirmed how the whole racket worked.
Now, all three vessels are likely to be escorted to Mumbai for further investigation by customs and law enforcement.