Indian Coast Guard ship intercepted suspicious foreign boat Al Mukhtar with four Iranian crew members inside India's Exclusive Economic Zone approximately 115 nautical miles west of Dwarka on February 21, 2026, discovering 200 cartons of about one lakh packets of foreign brand cigarettes worth ₹2.5–5 crore, according to @IndiaCoastGuard on X. The boat is being escorted to Porbandar for investigation. Rummaging revealed the cigarettes concealed in the holds. The interception underscores maritime security efforts against smuggling, as stated in the official post using hashtags #MaritimeSecurity, #AntiSmuggling, #CoastalSecurity, and #VigilanceAtSea. Joint interrogation with stakeholders is planned upon arrival at Porbandar. This development occurred separately from ongoing Indian Army operations in Kishtwar, where contact with terrorists was established earlier on February 22 between 5:15-6:45 AM UTC, per prior @Whiteknight_IA statements.
