Iran/Iraq: Iraqi Navy Captures Vessel Allegedly Smuggling Oil, Iranian Captain Arrested

Mar 19, 2025 | Kurdistan24
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The Iraqi Naval Forces announced late Tuesday that security forces had seized an unidentified vessel in Iraqi waters suspected of smuggling oil. The operation, conducted by the Iraqi Navy’s 1st Marine Battalion under the 2nd Marine Brigade, resulted in the apprehension of the ship’s Iranian captain and eight crew members, including two Iraqis and several Indian nationals. According to the official statement, the Iraqi Naval Forces launched the operation based on intelligence reports indicating illegal activity near Iraq’s territorial waters. The vessel was intercepted in the Basra oil port area, a critical hub for Iraq’s crude exports, and later escorted to the naval base in Umm Qasr. The detained crew members have been handed over to the authorities for further investigation under Iraq’s legal framework.