The State police have transferred the case relating to the seizure of an Iranian dhow off the coast of Kerala to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Coast Guard had impounded the vessel and the crew on the charge of having trespassed into Indian territorial waters in early July.
Twelve crew members, mostly Iranians and a few belonging to South Asian nationalities, were held. However, no contraband, drugs or arms were seized.
Intelligence officials said the boat could have come for a mid-sea exchange of electronic consumer durables, chiefly used computer tablets and mobile phones, in exchange for Iranian saffron, which is in high demand in India. There is an almost prohibitive import duty on the substance in the country. Iran has been at the receiving end of a 49-year trade embargo by the West and electronic consumer durables, including second hand ones, were sold at a premium in the country's black market.
The State police reckoned that the NIA had better resources to probe the case than them. Investigators said it was more of an economic crime and violation of maritime laws.
The boat posed no terrorist threat to the homeland. Sources said the NIA took over the probe and registered an FIR against the 12 crew members.
The agency is expected to seek details of the investigation conducted by the State police.
