New Delhi [India], February 17 (ANI): India has seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to Iran this month and stepped up surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade, Reuters reported on Monday citing a source.

As per Reuters, citing the source it reported that the seizure of the oil tankers comes as India prevent its waters from being used for ship-to-ship transfers that obscure the origin of oil cargoes, the source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

It further noted that the heightened surveillance follows an improvement of ties between New Delhi and Washington shortly after an interim trade agreement was announced between the two countries.

According to Reuters, the three sanctioned vessels - Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia - frequently changed their identities to evade law enforcement by coastal states, the source said, adding that their owners were based overseas.

It quoted Iranian state media which cited the National Iranian Oil Company saying that the three tankers seized by India had no connection to the company. It said that neither the cargoes nor the vessels were linked to the company.

Reuters reported citing the source that the Indian Coast Guard has since deployed about 55 ships and between 10 and 12 aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance in its maritime zones. It further mentioned that the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, had last year sanctioned three vessels namely Global Peace, Chil 1, and Glory Star 1, with IMO numbers identical to the ships lately captured by India.

Two of the three tankers are linked to Iran, with Al Jafzia having carried fuel oil from Iran to Djibouti in 2025 and Stellar Ruby flagged in Iran, according to LSEG data quoted by Reuters. It added that the Asphalt Star mostly operated on voyages around China, the data showed.

Earlier in February, the Indian Coast Guard busted an international oil smuggling racket through an intricate sea-air network however it did not dive into further details. an intricate sea-air network.wed. ted by greement was announced between the two countries.

According to an official release, the vessels involved devised a method to smuggle large volumes of cheap oil and oil-based cargo from conflict-ridden countries and profit by mid-sea transfer to motor tankers in international waters.

The syndicate consists of a network of handlers operating from various countries, coordinating the sale and transfer between seagoing vessels. Three vessels were intercepted by ICG ships, about 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai, and through sustained rummaging, corroboration of electronic data onboard the suspect vessels, verification of documents and interrogation of the crew, the ICG specialist boarding team established the chain of incidents and the modus operandi of the criminals.

ICG tech-inclusive systems detected a motor tanker conducting suspicious activity in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zones, prompting a digital investigation into the actions of the vessel. ICG further undertook data pattern analysis of other vessels closing in on the vessel and identified two other vessels as possible suspects involved in the illicit transfer of oil-based cargo at sea, evading significant duties owed to the coastal states, including India, the release stated.

The vessels were found to frequently change identity to evade law enforcement actions by coastal states. The vessel owners are based in other countries, as per initial investigations.

The operation, initiated through digital surveillance and enforced through the ever-expanding maritime presence of the Indian Coast Guard, once again establishes India as a net provider of maritime safety and enforcer of the international rules-based order, the release emphasised. (ANI)