The Coast Guard on Wednesday night intercepted a vessel from Dubai which was carrying the banned Thuraya satellite phones.
Five people arrested onboard MSV Yusufi were in touch with Dubai using the satellite phones.
The Coast Guard, on an intelligence input, had deployed ships and aircraft with the help of the Navy and intercepted the ship about 12 km off the Mumbai coast. The crew of the said vessel were in touch with one Usman from Dubai for whom the goods were being transported to Mumbai, Coast Guard officials said.
On sighting the Coast Guard ships, the crew panicked and threw the satellite phones overboard. Twenty-seven goats, imported cigarettes, mobile accessories and television sets were recovered from the vessel.
The arrested crew and the vessel were transferred to the Yellow Gate police station and joint interrogation is under way.