Panaji, Feb 7 (PTI) The Indian Coast Guard has busted an international oil cargo smuggling syndicate in a mid-sea operation, intercepting three vessels involved in the illicit trade in international waters, the maritime security agency said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out on February 5-6, approximately 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai, following intelligence gathered through technology-enabled maritime surveillance systems.

The syndicate had devised a sophisticated modus operandi to smuggle large quantities of low-cost oil and oil-based cargo sourced from conflict-ridden regions, according to a Coast Guard release.

The cargo was transferred mid-sea to motor tankers in international waters, allowing the operators to evade customs duties owed to coastal states, including India.

The racket was allegedly run through a network of handlers operating from multiple countries, coordinating the sale and transfer of oil cargo between seagoing vessels. Initial investigations indicate that the vessels frequently changed their identity to evade detection by law enforcement agencies.

The Coast Guard detected a motor tanker engaged in suspicious activity within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), triggering a detailed digital investigation into the vessel's movements. Subsequent data pattern analysis revealed two additional vessels closing in on the tanker, raising suspicion of an ongoing illicit ship-to-ship transfer, the release added.

Specialist teams from the ICG boarded the three vessels on February 5. Through sustained rummaging operations, verification of documents, corroboration of electronic data onboard and interrogation of crew members, the Coast Guard established the chain of events and confirmed the criminal modus operandi.

The vessels have been apprehended and are likely to be escorted to Mumbai for further investigation. They will be handed over to Indian Customs and other law enforcement agencies for necessary legal action, according to the release.

The owners of the vessels are based in foreign countries, officials said.

The Coast Guard stated that the operation, initiated through digital surveillance and enforced by its expanding maritime presence, underlined India's role as a net provider of maritime security and an enforcer of the international rules-based order at sea. PTI RPS NSK