Indian Coast Guard catches suspicious foreign vessel with contraband cargo

Gujarat: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted a suspicious foreign boat inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) approximately 115 nautical miles west of Dwarka, Gujarat.

The vessel, identified as Al Mukhtar, was reportedly manned by four Iranian crew members. During boarding and inspection, officials discovered a large consignment of smuggled foreign-brand cigarettes hidden inside the boat’s storage compartments.

According to the Coast Guard, around 200 cartons containing nearly one lakh cigarette packets were recovered. Authorities estimated the international market value of the seized contraband to be approximately ₹2.5–5 crore.

The interception was conducted after intelligence-based maritime surveillance detected suspicious movement in the region. On realising the approaching Coast Guard ship, the suspect boat attempted to flee toward the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) but was eventually stopped.

The intercepted vessel and its crew have been taken into custody for detailed interrogation. The boat is being escorted to Porbandar for further investigation in coordination with relevant security agencies.

This operation follows another recent Coast Guard enforcement action targeting suspected smuggling activities in coastal waters. Officials said such missions are part of India’s strengthened maritime surveillance strategy.

Cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and state security agencies, including Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), has contributed to multiple successful coastal security operations in recent years.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into possible smuggling networks linked to the seized vessel.