One of the three US-sanctioned, Iran-linked oil tankers seized by the Indian Coast Guard earlier this month off Mumbai had spent several days inside Pakistan’s maritime boundary with its tracking systems switched off, according to an FIR accessed by India Today TV.
The vessel, MT Asphalt Star, was tracked operating inside Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between January 20 and January 28. Investigators said that on January 28 the tanker went completely “dark” for nearly 11 hours, disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS), Very High Frequency (VHF) radio and other onboard transmitters, effectively masking its identity and movement.
Coast Guard officials described the conduct as “highly suspicious” and in line with patterns typically associated with illicit maritime operations.
The FIR, lodged at Mumbai’s Yellow Gate police station — which has jurisdiction over India’s EEZ off the city’s coast — relates to the interception of three tankers in the Arabian Sea on February 4 and 5: MT Asphalt Star, MT Al Jafzia and MT Stellar Ruby.
According to investigators, the three vessels were operating in close proximity and allegedly carrying out unauthorised ship-to-ship fuel transfers without informing Indian authorities. The FIR alleges that around 30 metric tonnes of heavy fuel oil were transferred to MT Al Jafzia within India’s EEZ using forged documentation. In a separate transfer, 5,473 metric tonnes of bitumen (VG-40) were reportedly moved to MT Stellar Ruby.
All three ships are accused of using AIS spoofing and false identity data to avoid detection.
Authorities further claimed that MT Stellar Ruby had earlier docked at Karwar port using forged Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance documents, while MT Al Jafzia allegedly entered the Alang shipbreaking yard in Gujarat with fake paperwork.
Coast Guard surveillance on February 4 flagged a Mali-registered tanker loitering in what officials described as a “hot lay-up” condition in the Arabian Sea. When contacted over radio, the vessel allegedly provided shifting information about its identity and destination.
A Coast Guard ship intercepted MT Asphalt Star around 2 am on February 5, boarding it by 6 am. The crew reportedly stated that the vessel was bound for Mangaluru. However, investigators later found discrepancies in its AIS and VHF transmissions, which were broadcasting misleading voyage details. The tanker was carrying a temporary registration certificate issued in Bamako, Mali, on January 30 and did not possess valid P&I insurance.
There were 22 crew members on board. The FIR notes that a preliminary examination of the captain’s mobile phone revealed WhatsApp conversations with overseas contacts and company representatives.
Multiple individuals have been named in the case, including the masters and engineers of the three vessels, as well as the owner of the operating firm, Star Shipping Management. The charges cited include criminal conspiracy, smuggling and forgery under customs, shipping, information technology and petroleum laws.
Officials allege that the vessels acted “in collusion” to facilitate illegal fuel trade while concealing their movements.
The developments come after Western authorities linked the seized tankers to networks connected with the National Iranian Oil Company, which has denied any association with the vessels. A source quoted by Reuters said the ships frequently changed names and ownership structures — a tactic often associated with sanctions-evasion trade at sea.