Mumbai: Ahead of New Year, the Coast Guard intercepted at least six unregistered boats off the Uttan coast during sea patrol and nabbed 14 persons who claimed they were from West Bengal and had come to dredge sand. The officials, however, said that the crew of four of the boats fled into the mangroves patch following which the Vasai police has now begun a search operation.
The incident unfolded on Saturday when two unnamed boats, which were later found to be unregistered, were spotted from a hovercraft on sea patrol. After they were intercepted, the Coast Guard found that they were laden with sand that the men claimed it had been dredged off Uttan.
“The team entered the boats and began verification. However, the crew did not have a permit, boat-related documents or identity proof,” said Avinandan Mitra, deputy commandant and spokesperson of the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard intensified the patrol and subsequently sighted four more boats in the vicinity, which were closer to the shore. When the team intercepted them, the boats sped towards the shore and abandoned the vessels. The crew subsequently fled into the adjoining mangroves patch.
“The coast guards informed the Vasai police about this and it subsequently launched a search operation,” added Mr Mitra.
The officials followed the protocol in the absence of papers and detained the boats and took the crew into custody. The Vasai police was informed about the incident and the crewmembers were handed over to them for further investigation and criminal proceedings.
Officials are now looking out for the crew and are questioning 14 persons who claim to be from West Bengal. The police is verifying if they had entered from international waters and verifying their activities off the Uttan coast.
The Coast Guard has intensified sea sorties and is checking for any suspicious or unregistered vessels off the state coast.
