Coast Guard arrests four arms smugglers off Sundarbans

Acting on specific intelligence, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) intercepted and apprehended a fishing boat along with four Indian crew members on Thursday (July 23, 2026) for alleged involvement in trans-border trafficking of arms and ammunition near the Indo-Bangladesh International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). The operation led to the recovery of a cache of illegal weapons and was executed in close coordination with the Sunderbans Forest Department and intelligence agencies.

The suspected boat departed from Jherkhali Creek in the Sundarbans early on Wednesday morning. “A Coast Guard team undertook an intensive search of the area and finally intercepted a suspicious fishing vessel. Post interdiction, comprehensive rummaging resulted in the recovery of a cache of illegal arms and ammunition that were apparently destined for Bangladesh. The timely apprehension of the boat thwarted a trans-border gun-running attempt by the smugglers,” said the ICG in an official statement. 

The apprehended fishing boat, along with its four crew members, and the recovered arms and ammunition, was handed over to the West Bengal Marine Police station, Sunderbans, for detailed investigation and further legal proceedings.