Overview
- The vessels were identified as Stellar Ruby, Asphalt Star and Al Jafzia after a Feb. 5–6 interception roughly 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai.
- An official Coast Guard statement describes a coordinated sea‑air operation targeting ship‑to‑ship transfers used to conceal cargo origins and evade duties.
- Mumbai’s Yellow Gate police registered FIRs, and authorities are examining onboard electronic records, documents and crew testimony.
- The Coast Guard expanded round‑the‑clock surveillance across India’s maritime zones, deploying about 55 ships and 10–12 aircraft.
- U.S. OFAC records show IMO numbers matching previously sanctioned vessels, while Iran’s state oil company denies any link to the ships or cargoes.