Iran Focus
New Delhi, 5 Jul — India’s coast guard seized an Iranian fishing boat off the country’s southern coast early Sunday and arrested 12 crew members, Indian officials said.
Top Kerala state police officer T.P. Senakumar said the Iranian crew members were being questioned for possible smuggling and breach of India’s national security, but he declined to give details, according to the Associated Press.
Sitanshu Kar, India’s defense ministry spokesman, said the boat was intercepted and seized early Sunday by the coast guard.
The boat left Kalat in Iran on May 25 and it was likely involved in the transfer of high-value contraband at high seas, the Press Trust of India news agency quoted an Indian coast guard statement as saying.
The Press Trust of India news agency said coast guard officials found one satellite phone and a Pakistani identity card on the boat which was intercepted 100 kilometers (60 miles) off the Kerala state coast.
