Indonesia’s coast guard has captured an Iranian-flagged ship suspected of illegally transferring oil at a location nearly 5,000 miles away from where its automatic identification system was claiming it was.
The MT Arman 114 was carrying about 273,000 metric tons of light crude oil, worth around $304 million, when it was seized last week around Indonesia's North Natuna Sea, Reuters reported, citing Indonesia’s maritime security agency.
"MT Arman was spoofing their automatic identification system (AIS) to show its position was in the Red Sea but in reality it is here," the agency's chief, Aan Kurnia, was quoted as saying.
He reportedly added that the ship was carrying out an oil transfer with the Cameroon-flagged MT S Tinos, and both vessels tried to flee before the Arman was captured with the help of Malaysian authorities in their territory.
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"So it seems like they already had a malicious intent," Kurnia said.
The Arman did not have a permit for the oil transfer and dumped some of its crude into the ocean prior to its capture, Kurnia also told Reuters.
The Egyptian captain of the ship, 28 crew members and three family members of a security officer on board were taken into custody, the news agency reported.
"We have to be firm, tough," Kurnia said regarding maritime security in the region. "There has to be a deterrent effect so it will not happen again."
Tankers carrying oil from sanctioned countries such as Iran, Russia and Venezuela have been transferring their cargoes in the Singapore Strait in hopes of avoiding being caught, according to Reuters.
US NAVY STOPS IRAN FROM SEIZING TWO OIL TANKERS IN GULF OF OMAN
Last week, the U.S. Navy said it stopped Iran from seizing two commercial tankers in the Gulf of Oman following a series of attacks and seizures on vessels in the region since 2019.
The first seizure attempt occurred around 1 a.m. local time on a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker TRF Moss but ended after U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul arrived on the scene, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said in a statement.
The U.S. Navy also deployed "surveillance assets" like the MQ-9 Reaper drone and a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
The second attack proved more aggressive when the Iranian navy opened fire on a Chevron managed crude carrier dubbed the Richmond Voyager, though the company confirmed all crew on board the large vessel were safe, reported Reuters.
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A statement by NAVCENT confirmed that approximately three hours after the first seizure attempt, USS McFaul redirected its course "at maximum speed" after the U.S. Navy received a distress call from the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker.
A separate Iranian naval vessel had closed within one mile of the Richmond Voyager and had ordered the commercial ship to stop.
Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
