Indian authorities detain three oil tankers over smuggling allegations

India’s Coast Guard announced in a post on X that it has detained three oil tankers during an operation on the high seas, disrupting the activities of an international oil smuggling network.

The vessels had previously been placed under US sanctions for the illegal transportation of oil, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the coast guard, the criminal group used ship-to-ship oil transfers in international waters to transport cheap oil from conflict-affected regions onto tankers, evading the payment of duties to coastal states.

Following their detention, the vessels were escorted to the port of Mumbai for further inspections and for the case to be handed over to law enforcement authorities.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Indian oil refineries are avoiding purchases of Russian oil for deliveries in March and April. The report said Indian companies plan to continue steering clear of deals involving Russian crude, with sources noting that the move is intended to help New Delhi secure trade agreements with the United States.

By Jeyhun Aghazada