MUMBAI: A dhow suspected to be involved in smuggling activities was seized off Hay Bunder in south Mumbai on Thursday morning, hours after a coast guard vessel intercepted the signals of a banned satellite phone from the vessel 15km off the coast.
The five-member crew of MSV Yusufi, which is registered in Gujarat, reportedly threw the phone into the water when they were cornered by the coast guard and navy.
The coast guard and navy confiscated smuggled cigarettes, mobile accessories, foreign liquor and 26 rare species of goats and handed over Ahmed Paleja (45), Iqbal Umi (41), Yaqoob Thakara (43), Abdul Mandwani (32) and Yunus Bolim (31)—they all hail from Mota Salaya village in Kutch—to the Yellow Gate police. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad personnel did not find explosives on the dhow.
Since last week, security establishments have been receiving alerts about a vessel carrying explosives heading towards Mumbai. “Initially the information was of terror. Our investigation is still on,” said RakeshMaria, anti-terrorism squad chief.
At 11pm on Wednesday, a coast guard vessel launched a search after intercepting signals of a banned satellite phone, which was first used in terror attacks in India by the perpetrators of the 26/11 strikes to communicate with their handlers in Pakistan.
The crew members initially told the police that the contraband was heading for Sri Lanka and hence, should be released. But the police arrested and booked them under the Indian Telegraph Act, Cruelty to Animals Act, the Maharashtra Anti-Tobacco Act and for cheating and forgery. “The five men were just carriers, while the real culprits who monitored the smuggling from Mumbai have gone into hiding,” said a police officer.
The dhow, owned by Gujarat-based fisherman Yusuf, had left Kutchon March 28, reportedly loaded the consignment from a merchant vessel coming from Dubai in the high seas, and was to deliver the smuggled goods to Usman Gachi, a shop owner from Manish Market, at Hay Bunder near Reay Road. Yusuf’s sons were reportedly promised Rs 30 lakh on delivery of the consignment.
The seized goats cost between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh each. Even the smuggled foreign cigarette brands cost twice here. “The cost of 555 in Dubai is Rs 2,400 per carton, and is sold here for Rs 5,500 per carton. There is a huge profit margin and several people are involved in this illegal trade,” said Abdul Bhai, a shop owner from Crawford Market. Sources said Gachi keeps rare species of goats.
The seizure of the dhow came a day after cargo vessel Bruno Schulte, which was suspected to be carrying hazardous chemicals, was checked by customs and port officials of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust following an alert. The agencies later learnt the hazardous chemicals were already unloaded in China, before it reached India.