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India Seizes 3 Iranian Oil Tankers
17 Feb
Summary
- India seized three oil tankers sanctioned by the US and linked to Iran.
- Surveillance increased across India's maritime zone to combat illicit trade.
- The tankers frequently changed identities to evade law enforcement.
India has taken decisive action by seizing three oil tankers sanctioned by the United States and reportedly linked to Iran. This significant move occurred this month and has led to a tightening of surveillance across India's maritime zones to prevent illicit trade activities. The vessels, identified as Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star, and Al Jafzia, are noted for their practice of frequently changing identities to evade coastal law enforcement.
These seizures underscore India's commitment to ensuring its waters are not exploited for ship-to-ship transfers, a common tactic used to disguise the origin of oil cargoes and bypass international sanctions. The Indian Coast Guard has since augmented its monitoring efforts, deploying approximately 55 ships and 10 to 12 aircraft for round-the-clock surveillance. The US Office of Foreign Assets Control had previously sanctioned vessels with identical identification numbers to those seized, reinforcing the international context of this operation.
