The Tamil Nadu police on Friday morning arrested 25 private security guards and 8 crew members who were on board 'Seaman Guard Ohio', the U.S. vessel that was detained by the Indian Coast Guard off the Tuticorin coast last week.
Investigators seized 35 arms and 5,680 rounds of ammunition from the vessel. Two of the 10-member crew, including the Captain, were not arrested to facilitate maintenance of the vessel berthed in the VOC Chidambaranar Port.
According to police sources, a case was registered by the Tharuvaikulam Marine Police on October 13 against crew and guard on board the vessel owned by AdvanFort, a U.S.-based company that provides anti-piracy services. A case under the provisions of the Arms Act 1959, Essential Commodities Act 1955 and Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Prevention of Malpractices in Supply and Distribution) order 1990 was registered and transferred to the 'Q' Branch CiD police.
Investigation revealed that the vessel was found in the territorial water of India and was in possession of arms and ammunition, without valid documents. Also, the vessel had drawn about 1,500 litres of diesel from private sources in the country by violating the established procedures, police confirmed in a statement. The transfer of the fuel is also alleged to have taken place within the Customs Waters, which investigators said, amounted to smuggling.
The accused persons, most of whom are claimed to be former members of the US, UK and NATO Special Forces, will be produced in a court and remanded in judicial custody. They would be moved to a Chennai and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison. Since the suspects included some British, Estonian and Ukranian nationals, steps were taken to inform the respective embassies through diplomatic channels, police sources added.
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