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Authorities from the National Crime Agency (NCA) have detained an Indian citizen on suspicion of breaching sanctions following the seizure of a Russian oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday. The arrest came as part of a coordinated effort involving Royal Marine Commandos working alongside NCA officers. The operation included intense questioning of the individual taken into custody after the tanker was secured.
The tanker, named Smyrtos, remains anchored off the Dorset coast with 24 crew members aboard, consisting of Georgian and Indian nationals. Notably, the Sunday mission was unprecedented, marking the first time UK armed forces have executed a fast-rope helicopter insertion onto a vessel to carry out such an enforcement action. This move targets the so-called “shadow fleet,” a grouping of Russian oil tankers that have faced sanctions from the UK and other Western nations in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Under British sanctions, these vessels are barred from entering UK ports, and British entities are prohibited from providing financial, insurance, or brokerage services linked to ships involved in supplying or transporting Russian oil. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated that over 500 such vessels have been sanctioned to date. Earlier in March, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer declared that UK military forces had been authorized to board sanctioned ships passing through British waters. Reflecting on the recent operation, he commented, “This successful operation delivers yet another blow to Russia and reminds those fuelling [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s war in Ukraine that we will not let them hide.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly expressed gratitude to the UK for taking a decisive action against Russia’s oil fleet. Meanwhile, Russian authorities have yet to respond immediately but have previously condemned similar interceptions as unlawful and akin to international piracy. Data from MarineTraffic shows the tanker Smyrtos sails under the flag of Cameroon. It started its voyage from Ust-Luga port in Russia on June 5 and moved west into the English Channel by Saturday. Since its sanctioning in July 2025, the vessel has undergone multiple changes, including altering both its name—from Myrtos to Smyrtos—and its flag twice.
The MoD emphasized that the boarding took place in international waters, more than 12 nautical miles from the UK coastline, and insisted the action fully complied with domestic and international laws. The interception followed weeks of careful military and political coordination, carried out in close collaboration with France. This partnership builds upon recent UK assistance in allied endeavors, highlighted by French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement on June 1 that French forces, supported by the UK, had intercepted another sanctioned tanker linked to the shadow fleet. The MoD also confirmed a British helicopter provided operational support during that mission
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