• The Indian captain of the Grinch tanker is in French custody for suspected sanctions violations.
• The tanker, intercepted by the French navy, is linked to Russia's "shadow fleet" operating under false flags.
• All crew members, also Indians, remain on board while investigations proceed.

On January 25, French officials took into custody the Indian captain of the oil tanker, the Grinch, due to its failure to fly an appropriate flag. This vessel, suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" that transports oil in violation of international sanctions, was seized by the French navy in the Mediterranean Sea. The 58-year-old captain is currently held in a southern French port near Marseille, with the remainder of the crew—also Indians—kept aboard, according to Lemonde and SCMP.

French President Emmanuel Macron described the Grinch as being "subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag." The tanker was reportedly sailing from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk when intercepted. This incident marks a continuation of France's efforts to enforce sanctions against Russia amid ongoing conflicts, with Macron emphasizing the need to uphold international law, according to BBC and Lemonde.

The Grinch is believed to be part of a fleet of older tankers that frequently engage in "flag-hopping" to evade detection and sanctions. French officials established exclusion zones around the vessel while conducting searches. This operation is one of several recent actions taken by France against vessels linked to Russian oil exports, echoing past interventions such as the seizure of the Boracay, as reported by SCMP and BBC.

Authorities have indicated that about 598 vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet are subject to EU sanctions, with the Grinch specifically identified on UK sanctions lists. This highlights the ongoing challenges and increased vigilance surrounding maritime operations involving sanctioned nations, according to SCMP and BBC.