In a major crackdown against unauthorised sand mining along the Konkan coast, the Vasai rural police — together with a team of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel — have arrested 14 illegal sand mine workers and seized two boats in Vasai taluka of Palghar district in Maharashtra.

The Vasai rural police made the arrests after an Indian Coast Guard Hovercraft H-194 apprehended two wooden boats engaged in illegal sand mining off Panju island, which is an estuarine island in the Vasai Creek located north of Mumbai.The apprehended boats were not in possession of a valid registration number nor valid permits to undertake sand mining. Even the apprehended crew were also not in possession of any identification documents and biometric cards. They admitted that they are from Murshidabad in West Bengal. “There was no communication equipment onboard and the two boats were fully laden with sand,” an ICG official said. 

Following the apprehension of two boats, the police arrested 14 illegal sand miners identified as Abil Shaikh (25), Shafigul (27), Ahajit (33), Moinuddin (45), Shahiful(27), Mondal(28), J Mullah(40), Islam(35), B Shaikh(22), Shoful(27), N Mullah(45), Rafigul(19), Pinal(38), Ibrahim Shaikh (25), and all of whom hail from West Bengal.

The 14 arrested persons on Sunday were produced before a Vasai court which remanded them in police custody till Monday.

Meanwhile, the police have begun to look out for the owners of the two boats, who are said from Vasai itself.