Two suspiciously moving fishing boats, which were moving toward the Arabian Sea were blocked by the Mumbai Coast Guard; 10 people have been arrested
Two suspiciously moving fishing boats, which were approaching the Arabian Sea (around 20 nautical miles off the city coast) were blocked by the Mumbai Coast Guard. The Coast Guard detained 10 people from the boats, which were coming from Gujarat.
They additionally held onto outside alcohol, cigarettes, and US dollars worth Rs 18 lakhs. “Every one of the 10 mariners onboard are Indians. Aside from US money, we recouped a pocket containing cannabis. We have enlisted a case under the IPC just as Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985,” an authority said.
10 men booked under COTPA
The blamed have a place with Gujarat, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Mumbai. The Coast Guard recognized the boats and afterwards proceeded to look through the vessels as they didn’t have a fishing permit. They confined and gave them to police at Yellow Gate station after they neglected to answer how they came possessing dollars and alcohol.
“We speculate they could be a piece of a gathering managing in carrying of outside cigarettes and alcohol from remote boats, in front of the New Year,” said a cop. The 10 men have likewise been reserved under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA).
No terrorism angle has surfaced in the investigation so far. Further investigation is underway to find out the alleged illegal business they were involved in.
Recently, the Indian Coast Guard has been given powers under the Coast Guard Act to the board, search any vessel, and arrest people for offences within the maritime zone of the country. Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar made the announcement on December 5. A Coast Guard official said before, the sea security office didn’t have the ability to board any vessel going through India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The warning states that under the Coast Guard Act, 1978, the focal government approves “each individual from the Coast Guard” to “visit, load up, look and hold onto vessel, or capture any individual, or hold onto any counterfeit island or any drifting or secured object or any submerged article including any oceanic property included or suspected to be utilized in the commission of any offence…”
Before this notice, the Coast Guard utilized arrangements of the Customs Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and other applicable acts to board and hold onto vessels in the EEZ. Be that as it may, it didn’t have the important lawful sponsorship and numerous cases would crash and burn in the court, authorities said.
