Maharashtra, Gujarat on alert after phone intercept

A satellite phone intercept has put Maharashtra and Gujarat on alert as the communiqué hints at a weapons consignment onboard a ship headed to either of the two states.

A satellite phone intercept has put Maharashtra and Gujarat on alert as the communiqué hints at a weapons consignment onboard a ship headed to either of the two states.

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On the night of December 31, a conversation that lasted over 200 seconds over a Thuraya satellite phone was intercepted. It mentioned a hidden arms consignment on a ship that was scheduled to dock at either Maharashtra or Gujarat, said sources in intelligence agencies.

While the veracity of the intercept is being ascertained, the two states, as well as central agencies including customs, have been alerted to scan consignments on every ship arriving at any port in these states over the next fortnight.

The navy as well as the Coast Guard has also been alerted about the threat, and appropriate procedures are being employed along the navigational routes.

“It could be a communiqué between pirates, but we cannot afford to be slack on such alerts. Adequate measures have been taken to ensure nothing suspect passes through any of the ports,” said a senior police officer requesting anonymity.