Cigarettes value 5 crore seized, 4 Iranian crew held | Ahmedabad Information

Ahmedabad: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Saturday apprehended 4 Iranian crew members after intercepting a suspicious overseas boat, and seized round 1 lakh packets of banned cigarettes saved in 200 cartons. The operation, by an ICG ship deployed on ahead space patrol below Coast Guard Area (North West), was carried out inside India’s Unique Financial Zone (EEZ), practically 115 nautical miles west of Dwarka within the North Arabian Sea.Officers mentioned the overseas boat’s actions appeared suspicious, prompting the patrol ship to shut in for investigation. On recognizing the ICG ship, the boat sped in the direction of the Worldwide Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), however was intercepted and stopped, they added. An ICG boarding workforce discovered 4 crew members on board, all of whom had been recognized as Iranian nationals throughout preliminary questioning. The vessel, reportedly registered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was recognized as Al Mukhtar, though it transmitted a unique title on its Automated Identification System (AIS), elevating additional suspicion. The crew failed to provide legitimate documentation or present a passable clarification for his or her presence in Indian waters. A search of the boat led to the invention of 200 cartons containing roughly 1 lakh cigarette packets hid within the maintain. The worldwide market worth of the seized consignment was estimated between Rs 2.5 crore and Rs 5 crore, topic to verification by authorities involved. The ICG workforce additionally recovered a Thuraya satellite tv for pc communication set, banned in India, and eight cellphones, together with 4 with web connectivity. The intercepted boat was escorted to Porbandar for additional investigation and authorized proceedings.