Mumbai Police busted an illegal diesel smuggling racket in a major offshore operation; the total estimated value of the recovered goods and equipment is approximately Rs 4.59 crore.

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Mumbai Police has busted an illegal diesel smuggling racket in a major maritime operation. The operation was conducted by a team from the Yellowgate Police Station, approximately 800 meters into the Arabian Sea, opposite the New Fish Jetty near Bhaucha Dhakka.

Police seized a total of 9,700 liters of diesel from two barges—Shri Anant Laxmi (PNJ 430) and M.T. Pranay (BDR-IV-00094)—worth approximately ₹8.73 lakh. The total estimated value of the recovered goods and equipment is approximately ₹45.9 million.

Initiation of Operation and Complaint
The case was registered based on a complaint from Sikandar Anant Dolkar, a police officer. Investigation revealed that the accused were collecting and smuggling stolen diesel by sea. Police seized not only the illegal diesel but also various equipment, including old barges, motor pumps, pipes, and an additional 300 liters of diesel. According to officials, this operation is a major success for the Mumbai Police’s maritime surveillance and intelligence network.

10 accused arrested, 3 still absconding
The police have arrested a total of 10 accused in this case. These accused hail from various areas of Ratnagiri, Kanpur, Jaipur, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Mumbai. Those arrested include employees such as the barge master, driver, seaman, and helper. Police have declared three individuals absconding: Pradeep Pandit, supervisor of the Srikrishna Group Company, Vishal, the company’s owner, and Gangaram Kondiba Ingle, owner of the barge M.T. Pranay.

Illegal Smuggling and Ignoring Safety Rules
Preliminary investigations have revealed that all the accused, as part of an organized conspiracy, purchased stolen diesel and transported it at sea without valid permission. They failed to follow any safety standards while handling a flammable substance like diesel, posing a threat to human life. In this case, the police have registered a case under sections 287, 3(5), 61 of the Indian Penal Code, 2023, sections 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, and the Motor Spirit and High-Speed ​​Diesel Order, 1988. The police are now searching for other associates of this network and the illegal supply chain.